


Fallen Hope

by Brianycus



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anime-like reading, Dark, Death, F/M, Intense, Minor Character Death, Organized Crime, Original Character Death(s), Post-Canon, Scars, Secret Identity, Thriller, Truth, Villain is Insane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-04-27 23:28:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 47,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14436468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brianycus/pseuds/Brianycus
Summary: Are you willing to read about what truly transpired five years after the events of Yaldabaoth? How one man, no, one monster did unthinkable things towards the gang, and to those around them? Are you willing to learn that things were meant to be kept secret? That things weren't to go the way they were supposed to go?Oh down a rabbit hole the Phantom Thieves went, one that lead them so far down that they're still worried of the possibilities of him coming back to haunt them, creeping his way into their world. There is also someone else they have to worry about as well. He's for much later however.The rather funny thing about all of this is how it all began. How the events in this story line began to merge and intertwine drastically for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.And it all begin with the murder of Makoto's father.(Prequel to Next Generations)





	1. Remaining Hope

**Author's Note:**

> People are born with a purpose to fulfill in this world. Some are born to create bridges, promote peace, and ensure Hope. Some are born to cause disruption, discord, and utter Despair. That is how this world works.

 

A nice sunny atmosphere blurred the city that was Tokyo. Small bursts of wind gushed through the crowded sidewalks. Children running around, playing with their new toys. Adults chatting about the latest news of the city, drinks on their hands.

There, the reving engine of the motorcycle blasted through the streets of Tokyo that summer afternoon. People stopped, phones coming out of their pockets to capture the event transpiring in front of them. Children lined up as well, clutching close to their children as the blueish-gray motorcycle cruised through with ease yet with a sense of responsibility. What was more interesting was the woman who was riding it, black shades on her eyes and her shoulder length auburn hair brushing against her thanks to the artificial wind. Her red eyes solely focused on the task at hand.

A runaway truck was in front of Makoto now. Such a vehicle was stolen to be used for some goons’ robbery plan as money was seamlessly falling from the truck, it back doors open and a nervous robber sweating as he laid his eyes on the auburn detective. “Crap! She’s already behind our tail!” he yelled to the driver and his accomplice who in response just kicked him. “Gee, who’s fault is that?” she yelled while blowing her bubble gum balloon. “Shut your mouth you two! Just figure out a way to get her out of our damn sight!” an older  man roughly roared as he was serving the truck to cause a disruption, moving side to side to avert Makoto.

“Really?” Makoto muttered under her breath as she continued onwards, speeding up faster. That got the back rober’s attention as he was now worrying about the Niijima. “She’s closer now! What do I do?”

“Moron just grab the gun and shoot at her!” the driver made a sharp right, knocking the back door robber to the ground. The goon sweated aimlessly now and nervously grabbed the rifle he used to scare the bankers. If it any bullets on it, he wasn’t sure. The robber aimed at Makoto, who was now approaching them with ease. “Just need to aim….need to...aim…” the goon kept saying as he was shaking. “Take the shot!” the female robber yelled now, scaring the nervous robber as he pulled the trigger.

Makoto moved to the left when she heard the banging of the gun, and proceeded. That was until she felt a ping on her left pocket of her police uniform. “ _ Ren...in about a minute I’ll be there as planned! Just let me make sure they take the left lane!”  _ Makoto moved to the right side now to get them to where she wanted to as to the corner of her eyes laid the famous Cafe Noir, and surprisingly her beau as Ren Amamiya was nestled neatly in a chair, laptop on desk with Futaba anxiously testing out the gimmicks. 

 

* * *

 

Ren was having a grand old time reading something on his phone. He was sent a text from Mishima about his time in America and how they handle the news here, thus he sent him various American news outlets. Especially about their politics. “Americans seem to be mad about every small detail…” he said as he closed the app and hid his phone in his right pocket. He sipped a little of his coffee, courtesy of Haru as she was busy tending the customers. “Have a nice day! Thank you for stopping Cafe Noir!” Haru’s soothing voice echoed through the brown and black cafe building.

“Whoa the specs here are incredible! Not even mine has these…” Futaba jealously grumbled while she sat, legs on the chair, bending her black ripped jeans as she examined Ren’s grey laptop. “Thanks Futaba for the wonderful review. Be sure to tell that to Kanna when she visits.” he put the coffee cup on the table and looked out the window, waiting for his cue. “ _ Any moment now Mako sweetie….any moment….” _

“Phew I could use a little break.” Haru interrupted the black fluffy haired boy as she sat down in front of him, and fixing her little curly ponytail that was suited for work. “Technically speaking you  _ don’t  _ have to be here Haru. Your employees can manage just fine.” Futaba drank a little of her drink, a nice frappuccino. “I know that Futaba-chan, but it’s still nice to work at the building you’ve dreamt about for nearly five years.” she planted her hands on her cheeks, elbow placed on top of the mahogany table.

Ren laughed a little as his young adult face looked out the window once more, and saw his wife, racing through and the truck running off as well. “ _ Nice my Queen.” _ He stood up now, stretching his muscles. “Well I gotta go. See you guys later?” the curly haired and the oranged haired knew why and simply nodded to their former leader. “Be careful when you stick the landing Joker!” Futaba yelled when he opened the door, its bell sitting on the top right chiming. “You know me.” he joked back as he ran towards his destination. “ _ Sure hope the land down under can endure it though….” _  
  


* * *

 

Makoto continued on the pursuit of the runaway truck. 

“Screw this! You’re too stupid!” the female robber argued as she was pushing her way through to get to the nervous robber, as he let go of the gun. “I’m sorry! I thought the plan was going to work!” he sobbed a little. The driver grunted, making another swerve. “Give Ueno the damn gun!” he shouted behind him. “And quit acting like children!”

“Alright! Time to see this bad boy.” Ueno grabbed the rifle and aimed at Makoto. “See you, Detective Queen!” she pulled the trigger but no bullet was fired. She pulled again and again and looked at her partner with such intent to kill him when she realized that he had wasted all the bullets. “As if I would know how many were left!” he defended himself, hands pushing against her chest to make sure she wouldn’t rough him up. “You absolute...braindead...moron!” she lashed out at him, and Makoto just sighed upon the sight. To think they were a highly wanted group of robbers…

She soon saw Ren running through the rooftops, jumping up and down with ease. As expected from the former leader of the Phantom Thieves as he was busy being ostentatious as he did a backflip for the fun of it. “Really?” Makoto laughed as she pulled away from the truck now to get to Ren. The robbers saw the detective leave and cheered. “Haha! We scared her off!” Ueno yelled with glee. “Not for long.” the driver replied back.

Makoto picked up her bluetooth as she was meeting with her husband. “Ready Ren?” she asked when she called him. “Ready as always my humble Queen.” he teased back as he was now in position, his body arching to stick the landing as he was by some of the railings of an apartment complex. Makoto scooted a bit forward as she speeded. Meanwhile Ren, grinning his usual smile, saw the opportunity and jumped at the last second, ready to sit behind his wife. 

Ren stuck the landing and thanked God, or whoever was the highest entity nowadays that he didn’t hurt himself while he comfortably sat on Makoto’s motorcycle. “Thought I was going to pay a small price on that landing.” he chuckled as he placed his arms around Makoto. “Oh there’s going to be more now.”

“Perfect. Been awhile since I pulled these stunts.”

“Today’s your day sweetie.” she said as she revved up the engine once more to catch up to the robbers.  
  


* * *

 

 

“Damn it! She’s back!” the two robbers yelled like little children when they saw Makoto return back to the same position as before. The driver looked through the rear view mirror and saw Ren, waving back at him in his Joker manner, smirking at them. “Looks like she brought the punk again.” he said.

“You mean that consulting detective, Amamiya?!” now the female robber was nervous, though was also blushing madly as she laid her eyes at Ren. The second robber knew what this was all about now. “Uh oh, she’s back in her fantasy!” he cried out to the driver, now heading to the highway. Big mistake on his part as Makoto headed to the left side of the truck now. Ren steadied himself as he balanced his footing, hands firmly ready to grip onto the truck. “Ren! Be careful!” Makoto yelled back at him as he was now jumping towards the truck, still retaining his smirk. “You  _ really _ have to ask that question Mako?” he said back. They were the Phantom Thieves and the Metaverse was worse than this simple stunt.

Ren hopped onto the truck now, grabbing tight on the side of the open doors. The female robber, now snapped back to reality saw his hands and began to attack at them with the previously useless rifle. Ren dodged the blunt attacks with ease. “Did you know? This special move I’m about to do was taken straight out of a Spider-Man movie!” he yelled back as he swung the door. After a few attempts, he swung the door towards the robbers, releasing and then kicking the two’s chests, knocking them out. “Night night.” he joked back, but quickly moved as he heard a bullet coming through the driver’s seat. Good thing he kept Third Eye as he saw it before it was even pulled. “Damn brat!” the driver yelled as he swayed now, swerving madly unlike before. “Whoa!” Ren fell on his feet. And the doors opened again, Makoto now in view. “Ren!” she yelled but Ren gave her an okay with his hands. 

Another bullet was heard again from the driver’s position, and Ren decided to take a detour as he jumped grabbing the top of the truck, climbing himself and safely balancing his feet so he wouldn’t fall off. Reminded him of the time he was Okumura’s palace when he was in the stratosphere to get to the treasure as the wind rushly blew his face. He ran towards the passenger’s seat, and tapped on the window. “Excuse me sir!” he yelled. The driver opened the window to shoot at Ren once more, but Ren dodged with ease in a matter of seconds. “That’s not a nice welcoming! Did your mother teach you these manners?” he swung to the seat now and kicked the driver’s face.

“Ah! Why you!” he pulled the trigger but was now blank. Ren smirked, his dark-grey eyes looking down on him as he positioned himself to seat comfortably. “Should’ve calculated the bullet count.” he joked as he was now crossing his arms, mocking the driver. The driver smiled back. “Oh yeah? Well you should’ve calculated my fist!” he swung a punch at Ren, who caught it and pushed the driver’s arm back. “That’s like the fiftieth time this month. Get a better punchline!” he punched him back, knocking him out. Ren quickly grabbed hold of the wheel and braked the truck as fast as he could. 

Makoto looked at the truck swaying a bit more furiously and checked to see if Ren was alright. Turns out he was struggling a little given he was still on the passenger’s seat. He reached out to open the window. “Can you help me with this thing?” he yelled.

“How?”

“Just push the motorcycle a little so it doesn’t move!” Makoto nodded and gently placed the motorcycle close to the truck’s side. The truck no longer swayed and was in position, and thankfully Ren stopped the truck as he put the driver’s foot on the brake along with his. 

“ _ Phew…” _ he sighed as he stopped the truck and climbed out, dusting his black pants and his white button down shirt that was now loose a little. Makoto parked her motorcycle and ran towards Ren, hugging him tightly. “Mako...I can’t breathe.” he poked her sides. 

“Oh sorry.” she chuckled as she composed herself, and now police cars were on the scene they had caused. In one of them, the police commissioner left the car, his dark eyes casting down on his officer and her helper. Makoto and Ren, previously celebrating their success now looked back at Makoto’s leading officer with a scared look as his tough voice boomed at the two college students. “Niijima. Amamiya. I would like to have a word with you.”

They were in some deep trouble.

 

* * *

 

“Did you realize the consequences you two brought yourselves today?” he reprimanded them in his office. The two former Phantom Thieves chuckled and averted their eyes at the commissioner. Ren was busy scratching the back of his head, and Makoto whistled a lovely tune. “Answer the question!” he yelled now to get their attention. Ren, now looking at the commissioner, smirked as always. 

“Chief,” as he liked to call him. “We, well Makoto here was simply following what she was supposed to do. She received the call and then she pursued.” Ren glanced back at his beau, who was now blushing form the statement. Chief sighed as he shook his head. “You and your wits Amamiya...now I see what Tora wanted you to try out our consulting program.” he cleared his throat. “Despite the fact you two followed protocol, you caused quite a scene. Especially you Amamiya and your rooftop  flips.”

“My bad. Wanted to have give it some sense of style.”

“Which is what we as officers are  _ not _ meant to do. We’re methodical and simple.” Chief looked back at Makoto. “I will overlook this event, but Detective Queen, there will still be a punishment.” Makoto nodded, prepared for what the punishment was. “You will be suspended from riding Johanna for the next two weeks. You will drive with a partner in a police car. Got it?”

“Yes sir.” Makoto replied back, her red eyes looking back with seriousness. Ren smiled back at the sight, as those two eyes were the one thing that made him fall in love with her back at Shujin Academy five years ago. The eyes of a leader no doubt, but also one that can belong to a mother. Ren played with his wedding ring a little bit, going back to his friends’ reaction when he and Makoto decided to marry at the young age of twenty-two/twenty-three. Heck, there was Sae’s expression as it was one ready to kill him for even announcing marriage in the first place.

Putting that aside, he saw Makoto play with her ring as well, and he was happy he married the best girl he can possibly imagine. 

 

* * *

  
  


Ren and Makoto walked out of the police station.

Their hands were intertwining, the clank of their wedding rings hitting softly as the two walked towards the car, now parked in the parking lot with the one and only Sojiro Sakura honking the horn at them, annoyed as usual. “Seriously guys, you’re not kids anymore.” he said as the newly wed hopped inside the car. “Sorry Sojiro, but duty calls.” Ren said back as he grabbed Makoto a little closer. Makoto nodded. ‘“Plus they took Johanna so we don’t have a ride back...my apologies Sojiro-san.” she said shyly. 

Sojiro just sighed. “Whatever...geez. Here I thought you two were the responsible ones out of your little group.” he moved the rearview mirror a little so he can cast his eyes on the two. “Now that’s out of the way, let’s take you two idiots home before I tell Sae.” that triggered Makoto as she shuddered a little. “Please don’t Sojiro…” the two said in unison. “Do one more stupid thing and I might.” he smiled when he looked front and began to drive off, taking them back to their apartment building. 

Makoto sighed of relief and landed her head on Ren’s chest. Looks like the fatigue got to her as she closed her eyes and evened her breathing. Ren move the bangs from her forehead and placed his head on her’s. Sojiro saw the two doze off and chuckled under his breath. “To think these were the saviors of the world five years ago..” he left the thought as he turned a right, heading towards the highway that lead to Central Shibuya. 

Ren began to dream a little as he was sleeping with his beloved. He dreamt of his wedding day just two months ago, and the whole fiasco that they had for the moment that was to be forever marked in his life. How Tanaka and Erika, two friends of Ren during college helped with the photography, making sure everything was picture perfect. He even had to take a couple of shots of the two wearing their wedding attire: Ren’s white tuxedo and Makoto’s flamboyant dress, holding tightly to her side and smiling for this moment. 

He even remembered seeing Sae cry with tears of joy as she was blowing through a tissue and having Yusuke carry it for her. That was fun to watch for the “delinquent” as he was now looking at his sister-in-law. 

Makoto was dreaming similar except it was about the week in Kyoto for their honeymoon. It was a nice idea given by Yusuke and Hifumi as they spent a lovely time there as well during a college trip. Yusuke showed them the various paintings he made and a picture of the two of them in Fushimi Ward (which Futaba pointed out as coincidence as that was the shrine for Inari). 

There Makoto dreamt of the lovely boat rides they had under the beautiful stars. The lavish restaurants and the unique rural yet urban experience they felt compared to Tokyo, their hometown. At one point it reminded Ren of his family and just smiled that he was experiencing these moments with his newly wed wife. The same went for the Queen as she was clingy during the trip, never letting go of her Joker, occasionally making sure he was okay and suggested where to stop by next. 

As the two continued to huddle in close to each other while the owner of Leblanc was busy taking them home, the night sky fell on them with a radiant hope that Yaldabaoth tried to take away from them. “We’re here.” Sojiro told them now as he shook Ren a little. Ren fluttered his eyes a little and looked at Makoto before returning his gaze back Sojiro. “Already?” he said slowly as he was groaning, yawning. Makoto also woke up now, and grabbed Ren’s hand, straining her eyes as they were shut a bit too hard for their own good.

“Thanks Sojiro. I owe you one.” Ren pulled the door open. “Also tell Futaba to return my laptop when she gets a chance.”

“It’s behind the trunk.” Sojiro responded as he was adjusting his seat a little. Ren thanked him and left the car, gesturing to his wife to do the same. He let out his hand for her to grab, which she blushed a little as she got ahold of it, and then hopped out of the car. “Have a goodnight Sojiro.” Makoto said to the old man, who was propped a cigarette. “You know smoking is ba-”

“Shut that damn mouth of yours for the rest of the night please.” Sojiro cut him off, making Makoto giggle a little. “Yeah Ren...just for a little while.” she teased back at him, now confused and annoyed by the sight. “Fine.” he conceded.

Sojiro left now, driving back to where he previously was to Yongen-Jaya, and the two former Phantom Thieves looked at their lovely apartment building and the nice little entrance hall. “Ready to call it a night?” he looked back at Makoto’s red eyes. She nodded, and without hesitation jumped onto Ren’s arms, making him carry her. “Huh?” Ren blinked.

“Not a word.The Queen commands her husband to carry her home.” she giggled.

“Fine. If that is what she wishes.” he kissed her forehead, brushing her hair and then smiled back. “I love you.” he said to her, eyes confidant and his mouth smiling genuinely. “I love you too. Now go on my Joker!” she said in clarion, making Joker nod back and walk towards their fifth floor apartment, laughing like children.

 

* * *

 

The sounds of keyboard typing filled the living room of the Defense Attorney. 

Sae typed away the latest notes she wrote for her latest trial regarding a murder her client didn’t commit. It regarded something that had to deal with a clock, which Ren joked saying it sounded like a Phoenix Wright game. “Ren...you and those jokes…” she said as she was reviewing the case files of the client and the prosecutor. “Hmm...this is certainly interesting.” she read about how the clock was misplaced and in reality told the wrong time. Could use that in her favor. 

She brushed her large gray side bang that was covering her left eye. “Should’ve cut this when I had the chance.” she puffed at it to cool herself down and scratch the back of her now short hair before continuing her work. “Alright....now that I have everything set up, I’ll have to contact Kuro and have him help out like last time.” she placed a reminder to call her new defense attorney, Ikeda Kuro. “And done.” she cracked her fingers and stood up to head to the counter for a nice treat of wine and dinner she cooked. 

As she ate, she scrolled through messages and phone calls she missed, and there were a couple. Good news they weren’t that important as it was mostly the Phantom Thieves and her employees. “I told you what to do on that case….no wrong folders...Futaba please stop sending me dating apps…” she sighed as she closed the messaging app, and began to eat. She swears, that Sakura girl is unique indeed. No wonder she was their Navigator.

The door knocked for a moment. Sae, putting down her fork, looked back at her front door annoyed. “Who is it?” she asked but there was no response. “ _ Probably got the wrong door.” _ the door knocked again however and Sae, now irritated, got out of her seat and headed towards the door. Well not right away as she went towards her purse for her brass knuckle, courtesy of Makoto. She opened the door, letting it do its usual creak, and no one was outside the door. Sae sighed, and put the brass knuckle in her pocket carefully, but once she did, she noticed that there was a folder on the building floor. “What’s this?” Sae picked it up and saw that it read CONFIDENTIAL across the manila folder. “Interesting...but who?” she looked around but no one was within sight. Empty hallways was all there in the eyes of the older Niijima.

 

* * *

 

Sae inspected the folder once she sat down back in her seat and ate her dinner. Now sipping her favorite foreign wine, Shvo Rosé. How she found out about this Israeli wine to begin with is beyond her but she fell in love with it. “Let’s see what this is.” she opened the folder and the only things inside was a black flash drive and a note. She read it. “Hope you enjoy?” she questioned as she stood up now and picked up her laptop from her purse. 

Once the laptop was booted up, she grabbed the flash drive and quickly examined it to make sure there wasn’t anything that possibly resembled Futaba. Knowing her, this could be well be a trick as Sae wasn’t as worried about the event. She propped it up carefully onto the computer, and saw the digital folder in her browser. It now read in capital letters MEMORY LANE. 

She clicked on it, but once her slender fingers pressed on the mouse to click on the file, there was a video file. Sae clicked one last time, but her eyes widened, and she dropped her wine glass, wine dripping the glass now shattered on the floor. Her red eyes widened and her mouth opened, trying to scream but couldn’t as she was now focusing on the one thing that got her trapped. Entangled in a web created by whoever gave this to her now, now laughing somewhere where she can’t see him or her. 

The entire missing video footage of her father, Akito Niijima, and the fated encounter he would meet with the driver, running him over. Sae knew that, except she didn’t realize the whole truth, now staring at her face as the one key evidence that the police were never able to find. Trembling now with fear yet a sense of aggravation as she watched the reality unfold before the older Niijima sister. Trinkles of despair and anger coursing through her skin, reaching her blood as it froze from the sight that was her father’s “assassination”. 

  
  
  


 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode One Over: Remaining Hope
> 
> Episode Two Start: Shards of Despair


	2. Shards of Despair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shards or fragments are things that were a part of something whole. Something that was complete and beautiful. Now it's destroyed, broken, shattered, but it can be repaired. The question however is this:
> 
> Can you put them back together again?

A man wearing a dark suit was walking by, heading towards his police car. He was fixing his brandish red tie, as he was moving it side to side on his chest to make his neck comfortable. He was also flexing his muscles as he was doing it, a hobby he somehow gained thanks to the workout routines he was having after his duty was over at the station’s gym. As he was done fixing his tie, he went on to scratch his scruffy beard, clouded with dark brown and bits of gray. “I need to shave.” he said to himself as he was checked the time. 9:30 PM. He was out late again. 

Akito Niijima sighed as he realized the time, now having to figure out a way to tell his daughters again why he was late to one of their little events planned at the house. Well in Sae’s new apartment anyway as that was the occasion to celebrate. “I promise to be there girls. Don’t worry.” he chuckled as he was walking to head to his car, a nice black police cruiser with hidden lights. He loved that car to death as well. 

The Niijima man continued walking, his auburn mixed in with some gray as well swaying due to the somewhat breezy night. Leaves curling beneath him as he walked towards his  car. “Why did I have to park far…” he sighed in defeat. He continued walking and saw he was close to the crosswalk to get to his car. Perfect.

Akito crossed now, his foot stomping on the ground with vigor. He was close to his destination now. He yawned a little, covering his mouth with his arms. He was very tired after a long day patrolling and finally getting a lead on the Stray Hound Yakuza Group, a current gang that was corruding through the streets of Tokyo. They were a dangerous group, and one that Akito Niijima wanted to get rid for the welfare of the public. It was his duty as a police officer after all. As he was couple of steps in his crossing, he suddenly heard the sound of screeching tires from afar. “What the hell was that noise?” he asked as he was prompted to grab his pistol, edged to the side of his black belt. He walked towards the sound, footing placed silently in case it was an ambush, gun now on both of his hands. His red eyes examined the area, but there was nothing for a moment. 

The screeching was now gone and silence became the ambience surrounding Akito Niijima. “Maybe I’m just being a bit paranoid.” he said finally after examining the area once more before turning his back and head to his car. “Man I need to sleep better if I’m-” he felt a pain go through the course of his lower body. Aching madly, almost broken as metal clashed onto his back, and possibly his rib cage area. He gasped for air but was sent flying through the cold and dark night, flipping until he hit the concrete, blood splattering on his face and work clothes. He had met his fate there and then, as he had been run over by the truck that had created the screeching noises. It was nothing but a ruse as Akito surmised, as he laid there cold on the floor, now moving an inch. 

Now this was as far as Sae and Makoto Niijima knew of their father’s death. The fact that he was run over and the crime committed against him killed him instantly as Akito Niijima died on impact. That was the story they heard over and over, and Makoto while meeting Ren told to him as they were taking care of Eiko. However that was but lies as Sae saw the whole truth staring in front of her, her red eyes carefully witnessing the fact that her father did not die on impact. Not by a long shot as she continued watching, frozen in place.

Going back to the footage, Akito laid still as he was on the ground, but for about a minute he twitched his body. He moved his arms and then his eyes, examining who was in front and was shocked to see the end result. Shattered glass was around the Niijima and he saw that the driver was dead, his body hanging loose on the windshield of the car, stabbed by fragments of glass thanks to the impact, but Akito wasn’t worried about him but the person in front, unscathed and seemingly smiled devilishly to him. Shrouded with nothing but black and a black mask, covering his entire mouth and upper bridge of his nose, his purple eyes glowing brightly, screaming at him with delight that he had unfolded his plan towards the detective.

“Who..are…” Akito fought to regain conscience as he looked at the man, no Satan himself, approached the gun Akito had in his hands, now on the devil’s hands. “You made this way too easy for myself Niijima-San.” he chuckled madly now as he walked towards Akito, pointing the gun on top of his head. “This...despair on your face makes my blood curl. Shiver with...happiness and glee. A tremendous euphora.” he brushed his crimson hair. “And I get to witness this with my own eyes. Hehehehe…” he cocked the gun, ready to pull the trigger. “You...must be from….”Akito coughed up dark blood, and resisted moving his head as his red eyes focused on the bullet hole of his very own gun, now used against him. 

“It’s a shame you didn’t put up a good fight in the end. Would’ve wanted more of that fighting spirit you do as the famous police officer that brings a sense of justice to those who deserve.” he was steady now, and began to pull the trigger. “Nice knowing you Akito Niijima.” he pulled the trigger and the bullet shot through Akito’s head. 

Akito’s head fell down instantly, eyes still opening in shock, and the devil who caused this scene danced around his corpse, happy that he achieved his goal. “Now it’s time for the fun part.” he grabbed a nearby glass shard and knelt down to Akito’s body. “You won’t feel a thing.” and thus he began to stab at Akito’s body, bit by bit with any glass shard he could find, making sure the scene he created was deemed an accident when someone were to find out.

 

* * *

 

The devil then walked away from the crime scene he had composed rather perfectly, Akito’s gun in hand and whistling away before finding the camera that was taping him all this time. “Forgot about you.” he jumped to where it was and then the footage was over, static going through Sae’s computer screen. That wasn’t all though as a text then appeared: 

“How does it feel to know who really killed your father?” it was gone and then another message appeared:

“In fact, he’s still out there somewhere.” the message was gone as well and one last message appeared in the screen, leaving Sae breathless. 

“Who is he?”

Sae removed the USB as fast as he could humanly do. Panting loudly and shaking furiously after watching the truth behind her father’s death, she stood from her seat and paced around the apartment living room, fanning herself and trying to access the situation. What exactly did she  _ see?  _ She thought for a long time as she sat down on her lounge couch, adjacent to the window and the balcony. Then, Sae breathed in and out slowly now, and finally after five minutes of her anxiety attack, began to assess the situation. “Whoever this is person is...he must’ve been planning this for a long time.” her red eyes glared back at the USB that was resting on the table. 

“Eight years to be exact.” she stood up and grabbed her phone now, beginning to dial a number. “ _ Makoto needs to know about…” _ she restrained herself, index finger shaking violently and close to pressing the number that read Makoto. She shook her head and sighed, scrolling to where it said Chief instead. “It’s better that Makoto doesn’t know about this. Not until the time’s right.” Sae dialed the number now, her phone on her ear. However, she bit her lip in the process as she was waiting for the Police Commissioner to respond and a tears shed. She was nervous now, something she was new to feeling, to express on her professional face. “ _ Makoto and Ren...everyone can be in great danger if this isn’t treated right.” _ she finally thought as she sat down and heard the Chief’s voice to which she responded if they can meet as soon as possible.

Once the phone call was done, and awaiting for her time to meet with the commissioner, she threw her phone on her bed, and massaged her head, now hurting a little. “Let me take a small shower.” she said, walking towards the shower with a nice small gray towel on her shoulder, and a pistol on her right hand for protection. 

 

* * *

 

Two days passed now.

Spotlights were hitting on two gorgeous young women as they were posing elegantly and with a sense of professionalism as they posed in the dashing spotlights in the fancy club. The club was reserved, thanks to some expenses and connections, and the modeling agency were doing their best to promote some commercial dresses for dinner parties and the such. As the cameras divided their attention to the two women, one with silky brown hair, all loose and stylish as a little headband, cute and pink was on her head, her brown eyes focused on the lens of the camera and the spotlights. She was wearing a nice pink dress, with a little jacket that covered her bare shoulders, semi transparent. Mika bent slightly, her arm extending on her leg and giving a smile that was tempting to the male eye.

Meanwhile in the opposite direction was another model, her curly blonde hair tied to a fancy ponytail, flowers scattered around the band as its design. Her dress was more spontaneous, as she was wearing a crimson dress with the most unique designs no one had the thought of making: the bottom had a gorgeous rose pattern and the sleeves as well, with tints of black going around her. Then she was wearing a dark belt around her waist area. 

Ann was also focusing her bluish-green eyes on the lens, and was sitting down in what she calls the “Haru Position”, as she had her legs crossed and her arm planted to her head, tilted slightly. “ _ I’m going to win this time Mika!”  _ she thought through the confident smile she donned, and after a few shots of the camera crew, she quickly glanced over to where her beau was, as he was brushing his semi-long black hair, still retaining the blonde from five years ago to the front of his hair, and was busy examining something on his phone. “Of course.” Ann sighed at the sight of Ryuji.

Ryuji was busy looking at some sport events to live stream later during the week. As he was scrolling his phone, he scratched the grey blazer he was forced to wear, as well as the pink button down. He didn’t mind it after being used to this style of dress for three years now, courtesy of living with Ann in his apartment. He finished checking the baseball streaming events and went to the Olympics, as his expression was that of excitement and irritation due to Kamoshida and his affiliation to the Olympics. This was noted as he gritted his teeth. “Enough of that.” he said, putting his phone away and looked back at Ann, who glared with him threateningly. “Sorry.” he mouthed nervously and now paid his attention to his girlfriend.

“Alright the photoshoot is now done!’ the main director called out as he was walking through the shoots. “All the models come to center stage with me! Camera crew you did wonderful today, as expected from the Harima Photo Ops. Thank goodness we got them to sponsor us! Anyway, models come with me!” Ann and Mika walked to the robust man, who was fanning his face. “Now you two did marvelous work as usual, but I gotta say, Ann here did a number! Your posing is more fluid now and less robotic as before, and the facial expressions you make shed tremendous light to the dresses at hand.” the man noticed Mika’s eye twitch. “Now now Mika! You did great as well! Though I like to give credit to where it’s due.” he smiled and checked his watch, wide-eyed. “Oh! Would you look at the time! You girls need to leave! Now go get changed!’ she ushered them to their dressing rooms. 

“I win this time Mika!’ Ann smirked at the girl, who stared down at her pridefully. “Don’t get your hopes up next time Ann. Like I said in the past, you’re still not fit to be a professional model.” Mika brushed her hair and walked to her dressing room. “Usual arrogant Mika.” Ann shook her head and saw Ryuji walking towards her...to which she replied with a soft punch to her chest. “The hell was that for!’ he yelled at her.

“For not paying attention to  _ your girlfriend. _ ” she accentuated.

“I’ve been dating you for three years now, and I’ve seen enough modeling that it’s all the same thing. Besides, I saw that the World Cup is coming soon.” she showed her the date and the times the livestreams air. “Japan better kick ass this year.” he pumped his fist.

“You and sports...I can never win.” she said in defeat before she was being called by the dressers. “Gotta change honey. See you in a bit.” Ann kissed Ryuji’s cheek and he waved back at her. “God I’m grateful to have fallen in love with her. Plus I get to shove up to Mona every so often.” he smiled wide and received a notification. He checked and saw a message from Ren. “Speaking of cats and the past...” he opened the message.

 

* * *

 

“Yusuke dear, how long have you been sitting there by the balcony?” Hifumi huffed and dropped a couple of folders and history notes on the dining table. She clapped her hands and then walked towards Yusuke, brushing her long black hair and fixing her red string and her light blue blouse. ‘What are you watching this time?” she asked, grabbing a chair to sit next to her boyfriend. 

Yusuke continued to examine the outside of the balcony, as two small birds were quietly nestling on the railings, ruffling its white and brown feathers. “I’m examining these birds and creating a mental picture for later.” he said seriously as his arms were crossed between his purple shirt and silently tapping his right foot.

“Riight, but for how long again?” Hifumi asked.

“Four hours.”

“Four hours...four?!” Hifumi stood up suddenly but was shushed by Yusuke as he grabbed her arm and slowly put her back to the chair. Hifumi calmed herself a little and noticed the birds, still in the same position as before. “Did you at least eat something?” she asked.

“I did. Some of the leftovers from last night.”

“That’s good at least.” Hifumi resumed looking at the birds. Yusuke slowly placed his fingers into his usual square position and mentally captured the image of the birds and the urban landscape before he smiled and put his arms back in place and stood up now robustly, scaring the birds away. “Now I can go back to painting.” Yusuke contained his smile, his now exposed forehead and his bangs separated between his sides, something he took inspiration thanks to a Yakuza game.

Hifumi stopped her boyfriend mid way as she walked in front of him and blocking him with her body. ‘You are not going back to painting if that was the plan.” she said seriously, her green eyes returning a deadly gaze. Yusuke glared back at her. “Hifumi, would you kindly move?”

“Not until you help me out with some history work.” her head tilted to her left as an indication for Yusuke to look at the table, now filled with manilla folders. “Again?” Hifumi nodded to which Yusuke nodded respectfully. ‘Very well then.” he walked to the table, putting the chair back. “Which era are we dealing with this time?”

“The Edo Period.”

“They had wonderful paintings of the shoguns back in the day. They depicted the rage and the charisma each one had.” Yusuke added as he grabbed a folder, examining its contents. ‘Like this one.” he showed Hifumi a picture that was in the folder, one of courthouse and a family gathering together in traditional fashion. “The early painters did outstanding work I will say.” Hifumi smiled seeing Yusuke talk about paintings instead of isolating himself for a day to do one. Though she didn’t mind those moments of him being absorbed of his work as that was the reason she fell in love with him. After all he did a portrait of her that was utterly amazing.

The two worked for about an hour sorting through the files and making sure everything was in the correct place and time. They divided the work equally and every so often, Hifumi would see Yusuke gaze at her and then back to the folders, separating the pictures of the paintings for it to be in its own folder. “Hm? Who’s this?” Yusuke showed Hifumi a picture of a man placing his bare foot on the red railing and his dark robes flailing a little. He was holding a scroll on his right hand. Hifumi smiled. “Dear, I’m surprised you never knew of this one.”

‘Why do you say such a thing?”

“Because that’s Goemon.” that got Yusuke’s attention as his dark blue eyes widened and looked back at the picture and then mentally back to his companion and Persona, Goemon. How his white face and blue and black robes shone with the blue flames of the past, and his little pipe by his mouth and the long sandals he wore. “I see...how funny to see that such a person was my Persona.”

“The same goes with me and Yamato-Hime.” Hifumi flipped a page and highlight some phrases and writing on a small sticky note “to edit later”. Yusuke nodded to the statement Hifumi made regarding her Persona, one that was summoned to her during the final fight against Yaldabaoth. How she gained a Persona was something the Phantom Thieves were concerned but didn’t really care at that point in time. Besides, when will they ever need the Metaverse again?

It was then both of their phones received a text, buzzing loudly and vibrating on the table. Hifumi and Yusuke picked it and noticed they got a text from Ren, and Hifumi a text from Makoto. They smiled, put away the remaining work they had and headed to the door. Yusuke grabbing Hifumi her purse and jacket and Hifumi kissing him gently as they left for the door.

 

* * *

 

“Who gave you this?” Chief asked when he returned the USB to Sae, now sitting in front of him. Her legs were crossed, stretching the fabric of her black business pants and she had her arms to her hip area. They were shaking violently like two days ago, but she did her best to contain the fear running through her. The despair and the sense of what’s to come. 

“Chief...you told me that the Stray Hound were gone after this incident happened. Why is this showing up now? After eight years?” she saw Chief cover his mouth, his white moustache showing on top of his intertwined hands. “Sae-san, as much as you trust me and how I was Akito’s partner, I have zero clue why this is happening now and not during the heat of the moment.” he grabbed his glass of water and sipped. “However, seeing the end of the footage and comparing the disturbing footage, this must be the Stray Hounds’ doing as a means to revive their group. We may have driven them out but that doesn’t mean we took them out.”

‘I understand that Chief, which is why I’m coming to you.” Sae leaned closer to the old man, arms still shaking and her lip quivering. She was breaking her posture. “I need you to handle this without Makoto knowing this. Please Chief.” she asked quietly to the commissioner. “I don’t want her nor Ren to find out about this because I fear there is something more to this video. A second message that we just don’t know yet.” she shed a tear and Chief nodded solemnly. “I understand your intuition and your sense of protecting family Sae-san. Akito would be proud to see his oldest daughter.” Chief looked at the USB and took it. ‘I’ll handle this personally and with the old crew. I promise.”

“Thank you Chief. You have no idea how grateful I am.” Sae smiled weakly and leaned back.

“It’s no problem. Now I suggest you head home first and then to your law firm. Ikeda can handle the fort I’m sure.” Sae nodded, gathered her things and walked out, before she was stopped by Chief. “However, if this ends up escalating and it reaches Makoto’s ears, then I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop her nor her husband.” Sae nodded back in acknowledgement and left the room. 

Chief saw Sae leave to his right and sipped more water before looking at the city through the windows behind him. “Akito...why did it have to be you?” 

 

* * *

 

“Cheers!’

Everyone raised their glasses cheerfully as they say in the middle booth that they shared long ago in Leblanc. Ren and Makoto were nestled to the edge, Ren smiling and drinking his coffee with Ryuji and Ann chatting away with Makoto. Yusuke, being Yusuke was admiring the view as he sat close to the menus, with Hifumi and Futaba, being on her laptop as usual. “And done!’ she shut the laptop and stretched her arms, yawning a little. “You need more sleep Futaba.” Morgana said to the oranged haired girl. She smirked. “Ah you little kitty! I’m not Ren so the rules can’t apply.” she grabbed Mona and pat his head. Hifumi giggled at the sight.

‘I’m so happy we met here and not Noir.” Haru said with such glee as she sipped her coffee. Ann agreed as she raised a finger. “This is such nostalgia Ren, and I’m sooo happy that we get to meet here like good old times.”

“That was the plan Ann.” Ren smiled, taking a bite out of his curry. ‘We haven’t seen each other since college and now that we’re out and have more leeway, besides you Futaba as you have one more year to go, why not reunite?” Ren looked at Ryuji and smacked his hand on his hair.  “Sorry dude but the blonde isn’t cutting it well at the top.” 

‘See Ryuji? Told you Renren was going to say that! Now you owe me ten bucks.” Ann nudged Ryuji, who uttered his iconic “F’real” and paid his girlfriend. Makoto shook her head. “You must’ve know they did that, didn’t you Joker?” Makoto poked Ren’s cheek. “That’s a secret between me, myself, and I.” he joked, and rubbed Makoto’s arm, something Haru saw and casted her eyes downwards. The rest didn’t notice as they continued with their conversations and catching up.

“Wait,  _ you did that? _ ” Mona and Hifumi asked, both looking at each other and then back at Ren who was talking about the recent arrest and high speed chase. Makoto nodded. “He did his usual flips and jumps as he was on the buildings and I’m surprised your lower region wasn’t hurt in the landing.”

“I’m way more surprised than you Mako, but that was pretty cool. Reminded me of Spider-Man.”

“Oh God now I don’t feel so good.” Futaba pretended to feel sick as her arms crossed by her chest and Haru did the disappearing noise. “It’s been four years since that movie, can we quit with that Infinity War joke?” Yusuke said to Futaba who sneered. “Shut it Inari!” she said back to him, resulting in their usual fights. Ren sighed, broke the two apart and went back to his seat. “Anyway...so yeah that happened, and I’m glad we didn’t get into too much trouble.”

“They did take Johanna though.” Makoto said with a gloomy tone, which Ren responded with a kiss on the top of her head and continued massaging her arm. “Hey but it’s for about two weeks. I’m sure the time will fly by like that.” he snapped his fingers. “Johanna...how you named your bike your Persona.” Morgana said as he jumped to the empty table behind Ann and Ryuji. Makoto shrugged. “It wasn’t my idea Mona to begin with. It was Ren’s.” 

“Makes sense now.” Futaba said as she picked up her glasses as they were falling from the bridge of her nose, and looked at the clock. “Well Sojiro expects us to leave soon. Primarily me.” she blew some air out. “Come Mona let’s get out of here.” she jumped from her seat and headed out. “See you guys later!” she left, and the black cat jumped and heading his way out as well. “You guys better get some good night sleep.” she said to which everyone replied with a yes. Then everyone else left besides Haru, Makoto, and Ren. “You know it still feels weird that Hifumi can understand Mona.” Ren said as he stood from his seat, removing his dark brown leather jacket and helping Haru with the dishes. “Don’t worry Haru I have this side covered.”

“It takes something to get used to Ren.” Makoto replied back as she was stretching her arms and also helping Haru with the dishes. “I have this side too Haru.” 

“Thank you guys.” Haru said cheerfully, but her brownish-purple eyes still casted a sense of sadness when looking at the husband and wife helping with the dishes and putting them away. Haru wasn’t jealous of them, nor of the others, but she felt like she wanted to have something more as well. A companion to help her through the course of her life like how the Queen and Joker are doing. After a few minutes with the dishes, Ren went back to put his jacket and grab the keys to lock up Leblanc. He opened the door and ushered the ladies in, and as he was closing, he heard a male voice approach.

“Leblanc is closed?” Ren shifted his direction to where the voice was. The same with Haru and Makoto and all three of them gazed at the young male. He had a scar by the bottom of his left red-brown eye, slightly faint and jagged, almost as if a knife cut him. He had medium straight hair, some going through the sides and middle as layers, and he stared at them innocently. The young man appeared to be their age, perhaps a year older. The young man was wearing a black suit vest to cover the white button down he had on and the rest of the black tie he was wearing. His black pants was ironed neatly and his black casual shoes pointed with direction. “Yeah it’s closed.” he said to the young man. “Why did you wanted to know?”

“Oh it’s nothing really.” his voice was a bit more mature than the others, more so than Ren’s whenever he was taking care of Yoshida’s things in the Diet Building. He was busy fixing his tie a little. “I just wanted to talk to Amamiya Ren and I was told he would be here in Leblanc.”

“Nice of you to know a little bit about me.” Ren was intrigued by the male. Especially about the jagged scar on his left eye. Ren then met with him, eye to eye, and felt a sense of nostalgic that was subtle. As if he knew this person from a long time, and he may have crossed paths at one point. In fact he even looked like  _ him _ . “Say, what’s your name?” Ren asked him. The young man cleared his throat and then smiled. “I thought you were playing around for a moment.” he said in a familiar tone. That got Makoto and Haru now as they approached Ren, Makoto grabbing her hand. “My husband asked you a question. Who are you?” she asked firmly.

“I see, so you don’t remember me at all. Maybe it’s because of the appearance.” he cleared his throat again and looked at the eyes of all three. “Long time no see Makoto Niijima, Ren Amamiya, Haru Okumura. It's me, Goro Akechi. I have business to speak to you two.” he looked at Ren and Makoto, now shocked as they were speechless to see the one person they fought and believed to have died long ago. Haru felt her knuckles clench tight and her demeanor changed entirely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Two Over: Shards of Despair
> 
> Episode Three Start: Familiar Face


	3. Familiar Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A familiar face is all it takes for the pieces to fall down like dominoes. Oh how they hit one, then the other, and then another, all tumbling down into the horrors that is to occur. As horrors crashes down on them.
> 
> All because of a face from a forgotten past...

The four of them propped themselves on seperate chairs while Akechi sat on a booth. Haru brewed a quick coffee for Akechi, bringing in the heat and the somewhat warmth the back drink had to offer. “Thank you Haru.” Akechi said, but with no response afterwards as she went back to Ren and Makoto, Makoto crossing her arms between the black business shirt she wore, red eyes interrogating the long lost “friend”. Silence creeped in through the brick walls of the old cafe, a slight breeze thanks to air conditioning as Akechi’s hair swayed a little. Ren began to speak now. “So the scar? Where did you get that?” he asked first to break the ice as he approached Akechi subtly, making sure he didn’t want to get the wrong ideas.

“Oh this? This was because of you guys in Shido’s Palace. Particularly you Ren.” Akechi smirked back at Ren, now remembering the final fight with Akechi back in the Ark, the fight against the man who killed innocent lives many years ago and solving  their cases to become a renowned “detective”. How Ren dealt the final blow to snap Akechi, destroying his mask and cutting his left eye. Not that he wanted to do as he had no choice that day. “I see. Sorry.” Ren joked back.

“How are you alive first off?” Makoto glared back at him, tapping her index finger on her crossed arms. Akechi sipped a little of his coffee before answering Makoto’s question, and looked at the wedding rings Ren and Makoto had. He chuckled. “Married to the best girl too Ren? I’m very impressed. Then again you did had a falling for-”

“Answer Mako-chan’s question.” Haru suddenly snapped, something that everyone was concerned for. Akechi sighed and took a small breath. “Very well.” he fixed his suit vest and tie. “After we fought and the cognitive version of me appeared, I still had enough strength to fight back surprisingly. However, I decided to play along with Shido’s game and have my cognition ‘kill me’ when the doors closed.” Akechi cleared his throat and sipped for coffee. “Sidebar, this coffee is still really good. Anyway, once the doors closed, separating us two, with what remaining strength I had left I used on him and the Shadows around him. Though the consequence was pricely.” He rolled up the rest of the white button shirt of his right arm and showed the three of them a bullet wound and a few additional scars surrounding it. “Who knew you just needed to move to the side and then take the gun and use it against them?”

“That explains the gunshot we heard, but then explain Futaba’s readings of you? We remember that they were faint readings, almost like you were gone.” Makoto pressured on to Akechi who just chuckled in a brief mocking tone. “Really Makoto? All I did was leave the Metaverse once that happened.”

“So you’re telling me that you left? Like gone and out the window? Where did you go afterwards?” Ren asked the question now as he stood closer to Makoto and raised an arm to block her from approaching Akechi. “I left Tokyo with a bunch of wounds in my arm and body. I barely moved but I left the city and began to wander about for five years.” Akechi stood up and placed the coffee mug on the counter and met with Ren’s dark grey eyes. “And for those five years I decided to call them exile. A means to suffer for all the horrors I’ve caused. Those five years weren’t pretty, and I had to change everything, explaining the getup and my haircut.” he went back to the booth now.

Haru stayed back and examined the three of them, arms tight to her sides and her nails digging into her palms furiously. It wasn’t that she was angry at the fact that someone they defeated was back in their old hideout, for she sympathized with the man despite not forgiving him for killing her father. There was no way that was going to happen regardless. Haru Okumura was enraged because she felt stuck. Engulfed in a flame of fury that she never had in her and a case of minor depression for the fact that Goro Akechi can be lying to their faces. Yet she needed to stay calm.

“Those five years of ‘exile’ Akechi-kun,” she felt a bitter taste when saying his name. “Were they really to help you or just so you can avoid the press from finding out your schemes and lies.” Haru bit her lower lip after finishing and shook her head, continuing with what she was doing in the back. Akechi casted his eyes down and chuckled once more. “Should’ve expected that question honestly. Haru, I’m telling you the truth. I mean it. In fact I can go right now to the police and confess my crimes.” Makoto smiled subtly but Ren shook his head. Akechi continued. “You don’t have to believe me now, but I’m telling you the truth.” Akechi pleaded with them in a tone the three of them had no idea even existed. The very same Goro Akechi, the same person who was cunning, snarky to a degree, intelligent, and downright arrogant at times was for once asking them for help. Perhaps this was one way to show them, even Haru that he changed. Haru still held her fists to the sides of her blue jeans.

“We’ll think about it Akechi.” Ren said after a few minutes of silence in the cafe. Makoto looked down for a moment and released her arms form their crossing and held Ren’s hand that had the wedding ring on. “You also said there was something you wanted to talk to us about. What is it?” Makoto’s red eyes blinked with curiosity. Akechi shook his head and pointed at the clock, which was now reading 10:30. “I’m afraid it’ll have to wait until another time.” Akechi said sincerely. Ren nodded in acknowledgement. “Alright, we’ll just have to head to your apartment when we get the chance.” Ren gave the keys of Leblanc to Haru, catching them within a matter of seconds. Akechi smiled nervously when Ren looked back at him. “What’s the matter?”

“My apartment is no longer mine.” Akechi said, tapping his foot a little. “Since I never went back there after five years, they assumed it vacant and threw out everything.” Akechi said to which Ren and Makoto returned a gaze of disbelief. Even the apartment manager gave him crap. “I see..well we’ll exchange numbers. Assuming you changed it.” Akechi nodded and took out his phone, showing them it was still the same number. “In case Futaba wanted to check and see I was alive, I managed to remove the chip she placed there.” Akechi put back his phone in his left pocket. “Alright...well you can stay her-”

“He can stay in my place.” Haru interrupted as she walked towards them, now one hand loose from the gripping. Though small little nail marks were seen, something Akechi only saw as he looked at her from a quick glance. Haru looked the same as five years ago except she now had a more motherly type of body figure. Her fashion sense was no longer one of “royalty” and wealth as she was wearing regular blue jeans and pink sleeveless turtleneck, the turtleneck being folded over. Akechi also saw the other hand that held a fist, now behind her back.

Ren raised an eyebrow. “By all means Haru…” Ren had nothing else to say and called everyone to leave so Haru can lock up. Makoto whispered in Haru’s ear. ‘Are you sure Haru that’s a good idea?” Haru nodded firmly. “I have a ton of security so if something were to happen, there won’t be too much of a problem.” Haru smiled and nudged Makoto to start walking.

The two women were behind Ren and Akechi, who were somehow conversing normally. Makoto knew it was going to happen as both escaped death from each other’s hands, whether inadvertently or on purpose. A special bond that the two forged and can never be broken as it seems. The Niijima knew that her husband understood Akechi and nor he and she hated him in the end.

Haru and Futaba were different stories, as Makoto saw the rigidness that Haru had in her gait, and smelled a scent of fury throughout the Okumura. They continued walking until Ren and Makoto reached their car in the parking lot, the black blending in with the night and the nice brown leather seats illuminating when he turned it on with his keys.

‘Have a goodnight you two.” Ren said without much thought. “And Akechi, don’t approach the others until we say so. You’re a secret between me, Mako, and Haru here, alright?” Akechi bowed his head slowly. “Of course Joker, or should I say King now that you married a Queen?” Ren scoffed at him and gestured them to leave, entering the car and driving to their apartment just thirty minutes away. Meanwhile Akechi was being spied by Haru as they walked towards Haru’s car, a security guard safely escorting the two and taking them away to their destination.

 

* * *

 

 

As Ren and Makoto walked towards their apartment, greeting it with such laziness and gratitude as the two of them propped down on the blue-gray couch. Ren placed one of the pillows nicely on the side of his head, an indication for Makoto to place her’s next to her husband’s. “Today was very interesting.” Ren said as he was caressing Makoto’s hand, massaging it with his index and middle finger. Makoto nodded in agreement. “You know we can’t really trust him, right? We haven’t seen him in five years and so he could’ve done more crimes.” Ren sighed and kissed Makoto on the cheek. “I know that Mako. Believe me, I know. Let’s just give him the benefit of the doubt and see this through. He could really have a change of heart.” Ren breathed in some air slowly, his chest moving up and down with moderate heaves.

“I guess so. Haru was kind enough to let him stay at her house.”

“I’m sure Haru has her reasons for it besides security.” Makoto raised an eyebrow and Ren chuckled. “Gut feeling.” he smiled back and then pretended to groan like an old man in his fifties as he was stretching his back and yawning a little. “Go get some sleep honey.” Makoto said, watching Ren as he finished stretching.

“I will my dear Queen...after we do this.” Ren took out his phone, placing it by the side of the flat TV they owned by luck. Ren then grabbed the remote and played around with his phone, putting on the song Volare by Dean Martin. He turned on the TV, showing the face of the singer in black and white and increased the volume a little bit, enough so he can feel the rhythm of the song.

“Come here Mako.” Ren reached Makoto’s hand. Makoto couldn’t resist not wanting to smile at the sight of Ren as he was dancing. Makoto let out her hand and Ren grabbed it gracefully, pulling her up and into his arms, both in a sense of respect and protection. He put his hand behind her back and the other forwards, slowly dancing around the living room. “Ren...you and your Joker-esque manners.” Makoto said as they were rotating, Ren spinning her gently and then dipping her.  “What can I say? A Joker always does what he can to delight his Queen.” Ren smirked as he rose her up and slow danced. Makoto looked at his eyes and placed her head by his shoulder, broad as ever but soft. Ren kissed the top of her head. “I’m grateful that you’re my husband Ren.” Makoto said, muffled. “Each and every day.”

“I’m equally as grateful Mako. To see the Detective Queen work her best and me, her husband doing as much as he can to protect and cherish his wife.” The music kept going as they were now silent in the living room, the two former thieves moving to and fro, Dean Martin’s voice enveloping like the wings the singer mentions in his song. Away from the maddening crowds and being the birds of a feather as Dean Martin puts so beautifully as Ren and Makoto were being happy in their improvised dance. A true wife and husband as they were, as they were with each other, making sure the two were relaxed and tended into their arms. After all, till death do them part no?

As they ended the night with the slow dance, oblivious to what was around them, both inside and outside, black birds flew across their windows, their beady red eyes glaring at them like spys, as they flapped their wings through the starry night and towards the moon herself.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Ren woke up first, slowly and sneaking his way to not disturb Makoto as she was lying to her side in the bed. Ren grabbed his black sleeping shirt, putting it on to cover the exposed and ripped body he had for the twenty-two years that he was. As he was sneaking around to leave the bedroom, he found his phone charging by the counter near the lamp and the small TV they had incase they didn’t want to be in the living room. That was the excuse they had anyway.

“Crap...it’s 8:00...good thing it’s Sunday.” Ren examined the notifications he had as he was scrolling. A couple of messages from Ryuji for links to stream the World Cup, the usual Facebook dog and cat memes Futaba mentioned him, and some emails that were spam. “Delete...Futaba I will check them with Mako when she wakes up since she loves them...and really email? You’re mailing me something about clothing promotions? Damn it Ann…” Ren swiped and swiped until he found a missed phone call from Toranosuke Yoshida. “Oh crap.” Ren left the room, closing the door quietly.

Ren called the number, propping the device between his shoulder and his ear as he was busy making coffee and breakfast for his wife. The phone rang for a moment, the pinging going every three seconds. Then he heard Yoshida’s voice. “Hello?” he answered.

“Yoshida-San! Sorry I missed your call. Slept late last night.” Ren whisked a couple of eggs on the kitchen counter. “It’s no problem at all Amamiya! Just wanted to check in and see how you’re handling the special consulting program we made for you.” Yoshida coughed a little and Ren picked that up. “Oh that was all? I thought you were calling to get me back.” Yoshida laughed. “Anyway...the program is going great. Spending some extra time with Makoto, streets are safer in a sense, and I don’t have to worry about the folders and the such for a bit. So it’s good.” Ren flipped the pancakes he was making as he finished his sentence.

Yoshida let out a sigh of relief and coughed again, more violently than the last. “Yoshida, are you sick? If so, take a small break.” Ren advised his mentor. Yoshida chuckled. “Ah I wish Ren, but you’ve known me for quite a long time. As a Diet Member, I must press forward and do what I can for the people.”

“At the same time you’re also human Yoshida. Take a small break today. A nice little nap and some cough drops.” Ren sounded like Takemi as he spoke, groaning in his head yet smiling as his mind went back to the former plague doctor, now ally and the Niijima-Amamiya family doctor. He should pay her a visit now that he was thinking about it.

“I will gladly accept your advice Ren.” Yoshida replied. “Good Yoshida-san.” Ren saw the bedroom door creak a little and Makoto rubbing her red eyes. “Well I gotta go. Nice talking to you and hope to return back to the office after the year and a half is over.” Ren said goodbye and hung up, putting his phone to where the outlets were, by the silver fridge. “Who was that on the phone?” Makoto finished rubbing her eyes and sat down by the dining table.

“It was Yoshida. He wanted to check up on me and see how was I was doing.” Ren poured a little coffee on her mug, one of Buchimaru-kun’s face. Makoto took a sip and savor the flavor. “Good as usual Ren. Glad Sojiro taught you.” Ren dropped a small plate of pancakes and the syrup on the table and sat down next to her. “Eh I was going to learn anyway. Or else my ass would go right the door.” he mimicked Sojiro’s voice, making Makoto chuckled.

The two of them kissed each other’s cheek and then began to eat their breakfast. Makoto looked at Ren and saw the glow he always had ever since they met a few years ago. Surprising as the Metaverse and his duties as the Wild Card were gone. She loved seeing that glow too and ate her pancakes with delight. “Any word Mishima recently?” Makoto asked to start some small talk with her husband. Ren smirked. “Yeah. He’s doing great in America, examining the sites and the politics there for his next book.”

“The politics there are very intriguing.”

“Yeah if you can take away the exaggerations the news sometimes likes to do, it’s pretty cool. Some of their actions are good and others not so pleasant. It’s expected anyway.” Ren put his phone away and ate his breakfast as well. “Other than that, Mishima is loving it and takes pictures with his fans and the fans of the Phantom Thieves too.” Makoto gushed and Ren nodded.

‘Serious. He took a picture of a whole crowd of kids when he decided to head to their Destinyland.” Ren remembered a picture Mishima sent him and posted online of Mishima, now with longer blue hair and a more sincere and strong smile, was crowded with a bunch of middle schoolers who recognized him.  It was funny seeing how a bunch of twelve-thirteen year olds were able to learn about the Phantom Thieves and ended up loving them. If only they knew who they really were.

The two finished breakfast and Makoto offered to grab Ren his plate to which he thanked as he got up and went to the kitchen. “Let me help out a little.” Ren said as he moved Makoto, placing his hands on her hips. Makoto blushed and gushed a little, telling Ren she was alright. Ren fought back as he was willing to help with the dishes,the faucet running and hitting water on the plates. Makoto seized the chance to play around with her husband, splashing some of the water on Ren’s face. ‘Oh so is that how it’s going to be, huh Mako?” Ren smiled and splashed some water on Makoto’s face as well, shrieking due to the cold. Ren then grabbed her, tickling her as he poked her sides. “Stop! Stop!” Makoto giggled as she was pushing Ren. “You win! You win!” Ren stopped now and looked at her eyes. “I love you Makoto Niijima.”

“I love you too, Ren Amamiya.”

“Technically it’s Niijima-Amamiya Ren, but I’ll accept it either way.” and the two kissed by the sink, completely forgetting that the faucet was still running and water was slowly going upwards.

 

* * *

 

Akechi woke up on a soft red velvet twin bed. The windows were slightly opened as the curtains swayed to the right and the chirping of birds were more eminent as they were luder compared to when the windows were closed. He groaned for a bit and examined his surroundings of his new abode as he got up from the bedsheets. He moved his arms around and stretching his hips as he moved side to side. His red-brown eyes examined the scenery outside, finding himself a rather lovely garden waiting for him as he stepped closer to the window. He pricked himself by accident as he didn’t realize there were some roses on the window sill. “Stupid rose.” he muttered as he continued to look outside.

Then he heard the door creak open and Haru walking in. “Morning.” Haru said rather normally as she was all fixed up and ready to go for the day. Though her tone in that morning was one of pure irritation, something Akechi picked up and sighed as he went back to the bed, sitting on the edge and placing his hands down. “Morning to you too.” he looked at the closet that was to his left and noticed some male clothes that may have suited him. Suits, blazers, button downs and casual wear were seen from the corner of his left scarred eye. “Those are…”

“My father’s clothing.” she said so coldly it stung Akechi as he nodded solemnly. “Right. Why did I ask.” Akechi chuckled softly as he shook his head. “Haru, I know you won’t forgive me for what I did, but give me a-”

“Breakfast is downstairs.” Haru cut him off and left, closing the door in front of him. Akechi sighed once more and stood up, examining the clothing that was by the closet. He checked out a gray blazer and tired it on, much to his surprise that it fitted him rather nicely. Akechi looked in the mirror and played around with the clothing, trying on pants, shirts, and the such.

“Your father didn’t have bad taste...what am I even saying.” Akechi took off the clothes and made a fist, shutting his hands tight like Haru did the night before. “I can’t just wear the clothes of the man I murdered in cold blood. It would do her no justice.” Akechi took it off and put on his regular clothes, oblivious to the fact that Haru was eavesdropping on him as she was by the wall, biting her lower lip and her eyes filled with a sense of disgust, but also sympathetic. She left as she heard the door open.

The two of them sat far away from each other as much as possible. Akechi noticed from the back windows in the living room the garden once more, but also some guards from far away of the house. They were dressed in suits and had glasses on...much like the ones from when he was working with Shido. That wasn’t pleasant for him. Akechi sipped some of the coffee Haru brewed and ate the waffles and eggs she made for the two of them. Well for one of them and she happened to make leftovers is what Akechi felt. “So…” he began to speak, not facing towards Haru as she was busy with her breakfast and looking at some plans for more Cafe Noirs around the Shibuya district. There were even some planned for America, with a sticky note on the side that read “Starbucks or Noir?” on it. “What do you want Akechi-kun?” again there was that bitter tone when she emphasized kun in his name. He was at fault after all and understood.

“I was wondering...why did you let me inside your house?” Akechi asked her, now facing her as he spun the stool to meet her gaze for a moment. Haru looked up from the plans and stared into his eyes, her purplish-brown eyes pushing him down with such ferocity and seriousness. “It’s for security purposes. Don’t want you all alone now that you’re back, and we don’t trust you. At least _I_ don’t trust you whether or not you changed the past five years.”

“I see. Good call I guess. You don’t trust me and I tend to prove you wrong. All of you wrong that I’ve changed.” Akechi stood up from the stool and approached Haru, sitting down next to her. “Haru. You may not forgive me for your father’s death, but I can show you that I can redeem myself.”

“If you wanted to redeem yourself Akechi, then you should’ve done it by confessing your crimes and go to jail for all you’ve done alongside Shido.” Haru bit her lower lip again once she yelled at him quietly. Did she mean that? Perhaps, but she was in such a state of hatred and agitation now thanks to Goro Akechi.

Haru Okumura does remember vividly the moment she tried to convince Akechi to do the right things and to be partners with the group to end Shido, but at the same time the man who killed her father was right there in front of her, all innocent and wounded. She sighed, checked the watch on her phone and got up. “I’m heading out. Going to take care of Noir for the day.” she said, tying her hair into a ponytail and heading to the door. “You don’t have to be here all day. You can leave when you want, but when you do, guards will be within a couple of meters from you in case you decide to mess around.” Haru yelled back at him as she left the door.

Akechi, all alone now, nodded to the Okumura’s statement and simply went back to his stool, finishing his breakfast. He found the TV remote and turned on the TV, finding himself watching some morning news before he shook his head and changed channels, to find a nice little American show called Suits. He watched it for a bit and slowly leaned closer to the TV, finding himself to be falling in love with a show that involved lawyers. It even reminded him of Sae-san.

 

* * *

 

Sae was busy typing away on her laptop as usual as she was examining the recent documents about the case she was involved in with Ikeda. As she was inside her office, the glass doors in front of her reading “Managing Partner of Niijima’s Defence Agency”, her red eyes were taped onto the files, both in the laptop and on her desk. “And done. Now we wait to get a court order and the case should be ours.” Sae relaxed her arms and swung her office chair to then get up and grab something to drink on the counter of her office. She noticed that Ikeda Kuro was on his way towards her office, folders in his hands and a large envelope. He opened the door.

“Sorry to bother you Sae-san, but I just finished some parts of the case we have regards to the framed murder?” that stung Sae as she shuddered without her knowing. “Good job Ikeda. Would you gladly hand me them over?” Ikeda nodded and walked towards the woman, handing her the folders. “Oh! This also came in the mail for you.” Sae grabbed the envelope from his hands and examined it. It came from Chief. “Thank you for this Ikeda. Now head back and handle the pre bonos you have recently. They could use some assistance. Ikeda saluted Sae, his blue business suit jacket flaring up. “Well do Sae!” he yelled as he left, opening the glass door and leaving with such a confident stride. “You sometimes remind of Akechi, Ikeda, except the murderer bit.” Sae went back to her desk and checked the envelope.

Sae opened it carefully and took out some pictures and notes that she remembers so well as they were seen across her house and Chief’s office whenever she visited him. There were pictures of Akito’s death, the crime, and the Stray Hounds, all circled in red around some faces form the Yakuza Group, but some notes that revolved the motive behind the crime. She read them, and then shook her head as she placed them under a drawer in her desk, planting her head on her hand, eyes looking down in shame.

“Father...I wish this didn’t happen to you. Because of your death, I was filled with desires to send criminals away, causing that Casino to show up.” she went back to the Casino Palace Makoto and Ren mentioned to her after the events of Ren’s “death”. Sae owes that boy a lot now that she thinks about it.  “I will avenge you without losing sight this time Father. I will find who this person that killed you truly is. You have my word.” she said with such vigor and strength that she shed a tear of vengeance as she stayed still in her office that day.

 

* * *

 

That night, two Yakuza men were walking down the hallways of a mansion. The red lights were shining down on them, the red carpet extending nicely beneath their feet as they walked around the rather large mansion. It was like a Godfather movie to him. The brown walls surrounded them with such an eerie ambience too.

One of them was wearing a leopard jacket and a dark orange shirt, almost brown. He had a small bun at the bottom of his black hair and a nice piercing on his right ear. He was scratching the side of his leg, wearing deep red pants with black shoes, and was bust conversing with the other man, who was wearing nothing but all black, with a black suit, tie, shirt, and the like. He did have an eyepatch on his right eye. “I’m telling you...this guy is nuts for sending that chick that USB.” the leopard suit man said calmly the one with the eyepatch. “He could very well tell us where we are located now!”

“Calm yourself. He did what he had to do. What he wanted to do anyway.” the eyepatched man said so coldly, almost smiling. “And besides, we got what he wanted too.” he took out a folder from the side of his right arm, chuckling. “I guess so.” the leopard man chuckled too. The two Yakuza men stopped in front of a door as they finished their little stride along the mansion. The two gulped but contained themselves as the one with the eyepatch opened it slowly...only to find the room all dark and empty, save for the static on the TV. “Grim Ripper? Are you here?” the eyepatch man said as he was creeping through.

Silence.

“Grim! I said are you here dammit?” the eyepatched man was now feet from the room, and looked at the static. The man sighed and then went back to the leopard suit Yakuza man...before being dragged and then knifed, his throat slit, and blood going down on the floor. He gurgled and then fell down, twitching before his body finally gave in to the hands of Death.

The leopard man’s eyes widened and then looked up to see a black mask and crimson hair flowing about. “Why...did you…” he couldn’t speak as he was stunned by the laughter of Grim Ripper. “Didn’t mean to do that if I’m being honest. He startled me.” he shoved the dead body to the side now, grabbing the folder he had. “Thank you for this by the way.”

“Su..re…” the Yakuza member said softly, legs shaking in fear. Grim Ripper smiled underneath his black mask and then approached the man, only to use the light of the hallway as he opened the folder. “I appreciate your dead friend’s ability to get these folders that belonged to Shido.” Grim examined the photos inside, each with a profile of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, from their time as teenagers five years ago. This made Grim’s blood boil with excitement as he read Makoto Niijima’s file. “This is interesting…” he said to himself before he closed it, seeing the leopard suit man quiver in fear. “Yeah...it is...though don’t mind me asking why you wanted such a folder?” he asked innocently. Grim brushed his crimson hair and then spun around the Yakuza man, laughing with insanity.

“Why? It’s simple really. The USB was just a means to see the truth, and to announce my return despite knowing that the Niijima never knew what happened. I wonder how she’s handling it. But this file? Oh ho, this file is perfect for me as my plan will now be in full motion now that I know who _they_ are. It will now be brought into this reality, just so I can break them, shatter them, and turn them into the emotion that is Despair. Yes...break them apart...especially these two.” Grim opened the file behind the leopard suit man, showing Ren and Makoto, his purple eyes gazing so obsessively. He felt his tongue move around his lips as he looked at the two. “I will definitely make sure these two fall apart.” he grabbed a gun from the back of his shirt now and shot the back of the leopard Yakuza man, causing him to fall down and eyes open in shock.

Grim laughed at the sight. “Ah...what do I have to sacrifice so that God can bring me more happiness?” he grabbed the corpse and the one from the dark room, blood ruining his carpet on his desolate domicile. He then stopped and looked at the corpses, smiling. “I could use you two as threat to the Hounds...for removing me from my position as Cleaner.” he chuckled, then laughed once more into the darkness of the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Three Over: Familiar Face
> 
> Episode Four Start: Unkempt Secrets


	4. Unkempt Secrects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets were something that never should've happened. Slowly the secret will no longer be just that. It will become the truth and eternal truth as it sinks into your being. Burning you and showing you a world that should have never existed...

Leblanc was its usual that summer morning. Accommodated by a couple of old timers, primarily tae Takemi and the one and only Futaba Sakura as they sipped and ate their breakfast of the day, made by none other than Sojiro. As the orange haired tied her hair to eat for once, she saw Sojiro’s agitated yet fatherly eyes look at the old television that was situated in the corner by where Ren used to live back. “And now for some upcoming news. The billionaire playboy philanthropist Itsu-” Sojiro sighed and changed the chanels, uninterested by who the hell the news channels were talking about. Reminded him too much of the old Phantom Thieves days and wanted to preserve a little peace and quiet.

“Sojiro you could’ve like not pay attention to the news if you wanted to. Tae and I were interested.” Futaba finished her breakfast and sipped her coffee, roasted black and the way she liked it. Takemi shrugged as she also took a small sip. “I wasn’t even bothering to look Futaba.” Takemi check the clock by the front of the cafe. “Shouldn’t you be heading to the train station right about now?” Futaba untied her hair and glared at Takemi before nodding and heading out the door, her bag being grabbed as it was slouched on the counter by the yellow phone now useless.

“I’ll be a little late Sojiro. Kanna and I will be by the Diner to do some psychology work.” Sojiro nodded to the statement and pushed her off with a goodbye wave. Takemi looked at her phone for the time and put it back on her black jacket. “Guess I should be going as well. Thank you for the usual.” Takemi took out her wallet and Sojiro shook his head. “You already know you’re the exception.” Sojiro joked as Takemi nodded back, heading out the door. “Whatever the case, you can use use the Guinea Pig’s bank account.” Sojiro chuckled and waved her off as well. Once his beady eyes looked past the two of them, he changed the channels once more to the news once again.

 

* * *

 

Akechi strolled along the streets of Shibuya. His red brown eyes looked around to see if anyone was able to recognize through his new attire, which thankfully they didn’t. Courtesy of some sunglasses he decided to buy on his trip. As he walked, he was also looking around to see of any good clothing stores for men. Luckily he found a couple of good suit and tie stores as he walked through the busy crowds, pushing against the current. “Busy as ever, huh Shibuya?” he muttered as he finished crossing the street and entered one of the stores. Before he did, he examined the area and sighed of agitation as he found a couple of Haru’s security guards just a few feet away from him. “I keep telling her the truth...whatever I’ll have to bear with it.” he entered the clothing store.

Most of his time there he managed to buy a few jackets, pants, and button downs that fortunately didn’t cost him that much of a fortune. Of course he used Haru’s card and name to get a few bonuses. “I see...so you’re her current fiance?” Akechi nodded. “Yes ma’am.” he went along with his lie. “Okay, well you can put Haru-san’s name here and we’ll just deal with the transfer later today. Have a good one.” the cashier waved at Akechi, who smiled and left the store with one big bag.

“Good thing I went today. Wearing the same old stuff gets boring.” Akechi remembered his casual attire and then laughed at the fact that was what he enjoyed wearing. “Sorry, but Kingsman suits me more now.” he said to himself as he went back to the station, keeping the usual eye out for the guards.

Akechi reached Station Square, and then noticed a bunch of girls grouping around the park by the train station. He stopped his tracks and his eyes widened. Could it be that they were waiting for him? That he was finally recognized? Akechi shuddered at the thought and decided to eavesdrop at their conversation. For the most part it was about the male models and the current fashion trends and Akechi sighed of relief. He was definitely not in the mood to be talked about after so long.

Akechi felt that there was no point to reminisce about the days of his social outings, how his mask was projected on the screens of many fans who trusted him and believed in his work. The same went for the Phantom Thieves who tried to help him after fighting him in Shido’s Palace.

How their outstretched hand was reaching the crow that was himself, and how he rejected the thought. Now as he stood incognito through the streets that adored him, he realized that he should’ve reached for their hand instead of playing dead for five years and suffer for his actions. “Yet five years playing dead is better than being in jail. Those years taught me a lot of things.” he rationalized to himself as he sat down now close to a food stand and order a sandwich. “Thank you.” he left some change and sat down, now looking at the large screen that Shibuya Square was known for.

His red brown eyes saw that an interview was going one with a news reporter and some wealthy young adult by the name of Itsuo Maeda, a famous Japanese philanthropist who made his wealth thanks to his late father. It was begot to him to be exact. Akechi noticed that the young man was crossing his legs, his blonde hair swaying neatly and his nice dark brown eyes looking closely at the interviewer, answering every question with confident and stride. Akechi felt a pang of pain as he watched, going back to the times where he was acting just that, as pigeons were walking around him to get a nice and eager taste of his bought lunch.

 

* * *

 

Makoto was carrying some paperwork to give to some officers as she was waiting for some action in the precinct. Her hands were nimble as she passed out the necessary reports to her minors in rank, though their beady eyes glared at the fact that a twenty-three year old got two or maybe three ranks above them. The excuse for her was simply because she was a prodigy, much like what Akechi was back in the day. “And here’s yours.” Makoto handed the final pieces of paper to one female officer who nodded. Makoto then bows in respect slightly and heads on her way to gather her paperwork before she overheard a couple of the usuals trying to get into her skins. However there was something different this time, and it wasn’t about her.

It was about Sae. Sis.

“The older Niijima has been pretty busy around these parts of town. Especially with Chief.” a burly male officer took a swig of coffee as it brushed against his stub of facial hair. He was also scratching the back of his head and then his scruff. The other officer, possibly his partner as he was busy looking at the other cop with such attention, sighing and snickering. “Sae-san...wonder why she’s been showing up. The funny part is that she shows when the other Niijima sister isn’t around. What do you think that is?” the second officer asked to which the first shrugged. “Eh, who gives a damn? Not our problem. Now let’s focus on the case we were assigned to.” the two officers then nodded to each other and left the resting room.

Makoto stood there for what seemed to be a quick second yet her mind felt it was for minutes as she was already processing as to why her sister was visiting Chief. She already ruled out that it wasn’t for anything other than _those_ feelings, and Sae wouldn’t just so happen to visit after a long time without Makoto, her younger sister knowing. There had to be something else behind the scenes...something more than just simple advice or wisdom. Sae knew her work and the risks they involved. She had a Casino as a Palace after all.

Her muscles began to work again as she saw Ren whistling away and heading out for the afternoon, checking his watch and holding his laptop on his left side. Makoto smiled and shook her head. Whatever Sae was dealing with was possibly something for her cases and needed some files for them form Chief. That was all.

Makoto’s phone beeped and she took it out of her black pant’s pocket. It was a text from Ren. “ _Don’t cause traffic Queen. You got some work to do_.” Makoto looked up and Ren was there where she last saw him, smirking at her very intently. She texted back and then smirked back, walking her way back to her desk and getting ready for the rest of the afternoon.

Ren felt his phone beep and he checked his wife’s text. “ _You’re saying that to me, your Queen? Cute Joker. Now get on with what you needed to do. Love you lots.”_ Ren chuckled and then looked back again to see Makoto, who was nowhere to be seen. “Arlight my Queen. I’ll play your games later.” he joked as he left the station. His skin shone with delight as he walked outside, the sun hitting the smoothness of his cheeks and face, as well as the rigidness of the scars around his wrists. They somehow still ache him to this day as he rubbed them from time to time.

“Now to go to Noir, get a nice cup of coffee, and check out on some case files.” Ren said with a sly tongue as he crossed the street to catch the subway to Shibuya.

 

* * *

 

Ren walked to and fro on the busy streets of Shibuya. Now well rested and heading back to the station to help the officers out with identifying witnesses and the likes, his iced coffee from Noir on his hands and his laptop in the other. “Alright, the case files were done and solved and sent some of my notes to Yoshida for when he needs them.” Ren took a turn on the left and absorbed the city life as he walked. People crowded him, both adults and children as they walked forwards and back from the day’s offerings.

Some were walking insides stores and carrying bags as they were with loved ones. Those sights were most familiar to Ren as whenever he had spare time with Makoto, they would shop around for a bit and enjoy the day as young adults should enjoy them.  Plus he was glad he wasn’t Ryuji. Ryuji would carry loads of bags home while Ann was munching on a crepe. Classic those two.

He crossed once more to head towards the subway until he found himself looking at a little scuffle at the far right. A couple of teenagers were what seemed to have been bullying another student, who was shocked and unable to fend them off as he walked backwards. “No, please don’t hurt! Please!” the student pleaded as the other three were surrounding him, cracking their knuckles. “Give us one good reason why punk? Because mommy said so?” he spat at him and then nodded to the others to start punching. The one on the left swung the first blow and then the others continued.

This aggravated Ren and without hesitation placed his laptop and iced coffee down someplace with someone to look after and then began to defend the student. “Hey!” he yelled at them as he approached them. They stopped swinging and looked up to see Amamiya Ren, his dark grey eyes staring down on them, reciprocating with fear in theirs. Though they continued to stand their ground and looked at the student. “So you brought someone else to fight for you, huh?” he punched the weak student, now bruised and bleeding on his face before looking at Ren. “Leave us alone.” he said to Ren, who was still standing there smirking. That didn’t out a smile on the bullies.

One of them swung behind him and Ren shifted to the left in a instant, having them collide each other the other getting knocked out thanks to the acceleration of the punch going towards Ren initially. The third looked at the sight of the other two and Ren looked back at him, to which he quivered and grabbed the two, leaving the scene.

“That was almost too easy.” Ren muttered under his breath and helped the student up. “Thank you.” he said as he was fixing himself and cleaning up the mess. Ren helped as he took out a handkerchief. “Next time don’t let them intimidate you. They’re nothing but weak individuals who need a swing in the right direction.” Ren took the student with as he was grabbing his stuff again from where he left them.

The student nodded and looked at Ren fully before realizing who he was. “You’re that special cop from the rumors! The Sherlock Holmes of Japan!” he yelled as Ren was confused. Then he was given a small history lesson about how due to his consulting business with the police, Amamiya Ren was like Sherlock Holmes as he solves case after case that no one would deem provable. As the student continued to praise him, Ren couldn’t help but smile as he went on before they said their goodbyes. Ren began to head down to the trains and back to the police station, cracking his wrists and rubbing them once more. “Fancy to be called Sherlock, but I would prefer Arsene.” he chuckled as he head back to do his wife’s workplace, unaware of the defining ambient of sorrow around him as a man wearing in all black smiled behind him like the Cheshire Cat, and looked back at his phone, confirming what he saw as he blended with the crowd.

 

* * *

 

Sae examined the photos once more in her office late at night thoroughly. Her red eyes dashed through the various photos of her father’s murder and then looked at the screenshots she was able to make from the video sent by her on the USB. From what she gathered as she sat there alone in the dim lights of her office space, she saw that the photos correlated the video footage, which made her teeth gritt harder. She might have felt some blood on her lips because of it.

The video wasn’t much help either as it was not only blurry, but there were barely any lights to see the killer’s face. Only that mask of the Devil was what most obvious to her as she stared at the screen and then back at the photos. “Dad’s death was said to have been immediate when the driver hit him with the truck. No signs of the bullet that was shot at him...and the autopsy didn’t state anything about that either.” Sae surmised that whoever that maniac was, he played surgeon with Akito’s dead body to remove the bullet as he was busy stabbing him. Sae felt a shiver down her spine.

There was a rustic noise, clattering and tinkering, breaking the silence that was surrounding Sae. She looked up from her laptop and placed the photos down on her desk, standing up and grabbing the gun she kept inside her purse as she slowly walked towards the noise. She knew there was no one here as all her employees left the building. “Who’s there?” she asked fiercely as she took an extra step. Silence. “Who’s there?” Sae took another step and slowly opened her glass door, creaking a bit on the hinges and pointed the gun forward. More rattling now, and Sae was close to pulling the trigger.

She walked slowly towards the noise, inch by inch, her heels softly clicking on the ground as she strolled through the office floor. “I will shoot if you don’t answer me!” she yelled and she was now close to the noise and pointed directly at it, turning out to be nothing but her own delusions as she sighed and waited to hear the noise again, only disappointing herself as she shook her head and planted her hand on her face, her red eyes now tearing up with anxiety. “I’m losing my damn mind....” she said as she walked away from her delusion and back to her office.

What Sae didn’t notice was that a few blocks away from the building were police cars heading down a dark and abyssmal road as they all drove to what awaited them on a creeping corridor, blood splattering down the floor.

 

* * *

 

Chief examined what was in front of him in sheer horror as he walked around the cimr scene with some high ranking officers. There they briefed their boss what they found, to which Chief retorted with a hand motion as he was too busy examining _everything_. Some of the officers left him alone as they too stood in shock as well from the sight.

There standing, or rather propped in front of them stood two men. The very same men that Grim Ripper himself killed for that sake of fun when they gave him the Shido files. However Chief didn’t know of that. He couldn’t regardless. After his body lost his color and tried to regain it, he looked at the walls surrounding the dead corpses. There, written in nothing but pure red blood was the following words:

**YOU ARE NEXT**

Chief gulped and then looked at the dead bodies once more. Their corpses as mentioned were propped onto something, Chief couldn’t detail, but their bodies felt as if their bodies drained out all blood. Nothing but an empty shell. Perhaps their souls were reaped as well by the Grim Reaper himself. Chief then coughed and assessed the situation with his old partners, making sure no one, absolutely no one would learn of this incident. “What’s our time?” he asked one of the officers. “It’s 12:00 sir.” he replied.

Chief nodded and thus began to work as the officers around took care of the crime scene. However, they didn’t get the message as they believed it was directed to them, the police station, while in reality Chief knew who the murderer was talking about as he was the only one who saw the insignia of the Stray Hounds Yakuza Group on their neck area, now barely visible due to their skeleton like state.

“ _He didn’t just send an USB to Sae for no reason. He used it to scare her and possibly Ren and Makoto. This man who not only killed Akito but his own men is...truly Death himself. He is not doing this for a reason other than one of just. A means to play a game with whoever he wants to play that game with….a killing game.”_ Chief thought to himself as he looked behind him to see if anything news related was showing up. Thankfully there were none.

Meanwhile someone creeped up on the rooftops He smacked his lips and his tongue brushed them, all beneath the black mask he wore. He was busy holding a bloody knife and his hands were all dirty as well as he was heading down from the roof, slowly making his way to the realm of shadows that beloved him.

The Grim Ripper shook his head in such vigor and style as he examined the looks on the officer faces as they entered his domain...his terrain to roam on as he spread the disease of despair and falsehood onto his prey. Now that they got the police’s attention, which he admitted wasn’t his goal as he stood there watching.

“You fools think this is just one job. You think this is the end? Pathetic. All of you...yes _all of you_ will fall under my hands, my palms, and I will squash you like the pests you are. Even you.” he looked at his insignia on his neck as well, now all scarred for trying to remove the dog that resembled the former group he was in. All tattered and bumped. “You and they will fear me.” he smiled and laughed his head, almost sounding like a howl that might’ve woken everyone up that night.

Except that howl did wake some people up as Makoto shot her eyes up, forcing them to be open after she was in the most comfortable sleep in her entire life, possibly her last for she felt a sort of shiver in her body that moonless night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four over: Unkempt Secrets  
> Chapter five start: The Game Begins


	5. The Game Begins

Everyone remembers the famous legends between the raven and the dove. How in times of distress, the blackened raven is the one to fear, lurking through the domes of shadows as they fly and claim the sky as their territory, framing their claws and getting ready to hack at they deem their’s. How it is nothing but a trickster to the world, and hides his malice behind that sturdy beak and beady eyes. Hawking, and hacking. If one can recall, he was sent first by the human Noah to scout if the land has become dried up. The raven didn’t follow his orders, but then that other bird appeared.

The shiny white dove, its black necklace around him and his soft eyes blinking innocently, mirroring what the other birds do as he is a curious fellow. The raven envied that and fought him before he was sent on the task by the human. The raven trying to hit at him and hurt him, while the dove was protected by some beacon of hope and light. Yet another thing the crow hated from the dove and waned to kill him for it. Peace, love, that stupid olive branch he was carrying around him sickened the crow, and for decades this battle went between the two birds, and now it appears that the raven is beginning to win. However it is not  _ him _ you believe him to be. He has his own story, while Grim Ripper has his own to tell the world as he fantasized about being the one to put the Phantom Thieves in the grave for good. He sat there in his dark room, spinning his chair around and throwing darts to some photos scattered around the dart board. Who they were blurred out in the darkness and Grim smiled nauseously as he threw a dart and landed between what looked like Ren and Makoto. “You will await your turn, I’m sure of it. For now it’s the poor bastards.” He pulled out his phone and looked at his computer screens, blinding his purple eyes, but he didn’t care as he pressed something on his phone and the rest became history. 

The glint in his eyes showed an explosion.

 

* * *

 

Akechi woke up suddenly when he saw Haru by the door. His red brown eyes somehow mirrored her purple brown one’s and she slanted herself on the side of the door frame and tapped her index finger on her crossed arms. Akechi stood up, trying to find some pants to wear, but Haru stopped him with her voice, a bit intimidating and threatening. “How much did you spend a few days ago?” she asked him. Akechi tilted his head, his medium hair blocking his scarred left eye. He decided to play along the lie, but he knew he was a bit in trouble. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” he lied.

“Really? Well I just received a call that my ‘fiance’ used my card to buy some clothes.” 

“Well I mean if I’m being honest, I thought you weren’t going to pay attention to that.”

“Shut up please Akechi-kun.” there was that bitter tone again and she shook her head. She grabbed something to pull her hair into a ponytail and then grunted. “Don’t ever use my money again. Be grateful that you have a place to sleep and eat until Mako-chan, Ren, and I figure out what to do with you.” Akechi scoffed at the response and stood up now, his body facing Haru’s. Haru knew she was short, around Makoto’s height, but she never really thought about the others as she fully paid attention to Akechi’s height. He looked a bit taller than five years ago, maybe by an inch? No that wasn’t it, he was the same height, but his stance felt more confident. Haru couldn’t find the words and so she shook the thought out of her head. “If I recall Haru, you suggested I stay here. Otherwise I would’ve stayed at Leblanc or someplace else where I can spend the night. Instead I’m here because of you. So should I be grateful? Yes I should, but you shouldn’t rub it in my face when I decide to do something normal for once.” Akechi didn’t raise his voice, but he sounded serious and that made Haru clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms once more. It hurt her, but she didn’t care as she approached  her and slapped his face before storming out of the room, snapping the door as she closed it furiously. 

Akechi rubbed his cheek, the hand print seen. He even winced when he touched it and decided to let it go as he got dressed in his new pair of clothing and headed out to explore the bringings of the day. He went to the kitchen first, avoiding eye contact with Haru and grabbed a cup of milk and eggs. Haru meanwhile was preparing to leave, standing up and heading out the door in a quick pace, her eyes also avoiding Akechi’s. “Have a good day at least.” Akechi muttered to Haru, which she caught as she briefly stopped, still not looking at him. She gritted her teeth and her nails sinked in her palms. She may have felt some blood in her hands. “Whatever.” she said as she left the house to tend to her garden, Cafe Noir, needs.

  
  


* * *

 

Her twintails swung side to side as she was cruising around the streets of Shibuya. She was holding the usual set of shopping bags alongside her best friend, Shiho, who was busy making sure Ann didn’t fall with all the heavy load of bags. She was wearing some small red converses today along with her blue jeans and her plain yellow tank top, tucked under the jeans. Her red sunglasses blocked the sight of the scorching summer that was slowly approaching as it was now the end of May and almost June. Shiho walked next to Ann, her brown hair tied in the usual manner, and fixed her red shirt she was wearing to compliment her friend. “So Ann, about Panther’s.” she suddenly asked when they stopped to wait for traffic to stop. Ann looked at Shiho and smiled. “Panther’s will be a thing no doubt! As long as we get the basic equipment and we continue to learn how to sew and what is trendy, we can definitely start our dream business!” Ann grabbed Shiho now, and Shiho was more worried about the bags than the easy-going Ann. At least that was where her worry should’ve went as Ann went head first into the back of a woman, causing her to fall on the floor, with all the bags surrounding her. “Ann!” Shiho came to her aid. 

“I’m fine. The bags aren’t though.” Ann joked as she stood up and looked at the woman, who turned out to be Mika as her face turned to face Ann’s. “Oho? Didn’t expect a low tier model to be walking down the streets on a nice day today. What did you get? Some lame clothes?” she scoffed as she looked at Ann with contempt. “Why hello to you too Mika.” Ann said irritated but she made sure it didn’t get to her as she smiled back at Mika. Mika was just as irritated as her eyebrow twitched and her face was eager for a thrashing. She breathed in a bit and then looked away at Ann. “Whatever...this is no point in arguing with you. Later.” she said plainly as she crossed the street. 

“Sounds like you guys have quite the history.” Shiho intervened.

“Tell me about it.” Ann felt a ping in her pocket and examined her phone. It was Ryuji calling. “Ryuj is calling me. Hold one sec Shiho.” Ann picked up the call and nodded her head while saying “Hmhm” a couple of times before she hung up and sighed. “What’s the matter?” Shiho asked. “I have to be in charge of a few beverages for one of Ren’s get togethers.” she shook her head and lend Shiho her hand as she gladly took it to walk to the station to head to the supermarket in Shibuya. 

As the two were walking to head the station, a sense of fever was felt for Mika as her eyes casted down in sorrow and looked around her for a moment. She felt like she was being watched as she turned around as she walked. “It’s not like that last time.” she said to pull herself together as she too walked to the station, only for a certain hooded individual to spot her in the distance, his lips being smacked with his tongue and his eyes of Death savoring the image that was Mika. 

 

* * *

 

Fifty...fifty-one...then sixty consecutive pushups later, Ren worn himself out in the living room. His bro sweaty as well as his shirtless body, his body spread out like a starfish on the carpet. “Phew…that was good.” he was out of breath as well. After a couple of minutes sulking on the floor, he picked himself up and grabbed the towel that was on one of the couches. He wiped some of the sweat of his forehead and body before he tossed it on the dirty laundry bin in the bedroom before he grabbed a simple black tee and stretched his toned muscles. “Though if Ryuji was here...sixty would’ve been two hundred…” he gulped as he remembered the one time he and Ryuji had a competition to see who could pull the most exercise routines. Ryuji won by a mile as Ren couldn’t handle the last set of bench presses. Makoto had to help him out.

Ren headed to the kitchen to get his bottled water for when he exercised. Quenching his thirst, he sighed of relief and put it back inside. “Nothing beats life than a good old sip of water.” he said with happiness as he went to grab his laptop again to work on the usual cold files and Yoshida’s reports and notes for legislation. “Let’s see here...well Yoshida that could work if we can get a max federal budget….and he died because the killer was inside the room the entire time. He was just playing victim before he himself died.” Ren scrolled through some more before he called it quits and checked his watch on his phone. “Guess I should take a small shower and head to the station to help Mako out.” Ren then opened his messaging app to make sure he had everyone ready for tomorrow night. “Futaba got the snacks...Yusuke and Hifumi as well...Ryuji and Ann are bringing the drinks. Perfect.” he logged out and then as he went to head to the bedroom to shower, his phone received a message.

A couple actually. 

Ren went back to his phone and opened the messaging app, reading the texts that had been sent to him. His dark grey eyes examined what was in front of him a series of pictures really, each having their own message. The first one had the words  **YOU ARE LUCKY** written with chalk, then the other two were a follow up: 

**DEATH CAN ALWAYS COME BACK**

**IN FACT HE IS ALWAYS AROUND THE CORNER**

Ren didn’t flinch nor did he shiver, but he was concerned about the messages. “I can ask Futaba about this and track the number down.” he thought as a solution as he saved the message rather than delete. Still, who did sent these photos? Ren had a feeling the messages were a prank by someone he knew. It had to be...was what a fool would think as he had a feeling what it could be. He made enemies before, and he was certain it had to be one of them. In fact, Ren even made sure if it was Akechi who had sent it. “Nope not him. Good thing at least.” Ren said impassively as he was scrolling through his contacts. 

It was then at that moment he sighed and placed his phone on the table and yawned a bit. “Well I won’t solve this without getting that shower done and a bit of rest. It’s still the morning.” he said to himself as he headed straight to the bedroom, unaware that behind the darkness of those photos laid a very familiar picture. One that had his purple eyes screeched with horror and fulfilment as he was dragging a body out into his favorite place: the abyss. Ren wouldn’t have known that unless he tried to make the photo negative.

Something he should’ve thought as soon as possible before the Game began the next day.

 

* * *

 

Ashes. Blood. 

A scent of burnt flesh was the welcome Grim Ripper received that night as he was kicking bodies away from where his destination was. His mask covered him from the smell of the dead burning bodies, yet he wishes he would smell it. He even let a whiff out. The bodies were scattered around him of what appeared to have been the meeting hall for the Stray Hounds Yakuza Group. The very same hall that Grim indulged in his manners and played nice during his duties as the Cleaner for him. Well his first and only mission with them anyway before they dumped for being too dangerous. A hazard. 

Yet weren’t they a threat as well? Grim may have killed in the past, making sure his kill was one for the books everything, but weren’t the very same comrades he had the same thing? A hazard for society as they were busy shooting away their problems and bribing plenty to shut their damn mouths. Grim knew it, yet he was the outcast. 

Pity how the tables have turned as he was dancing through the burning bodies of his “comrades”,  how they laid there still, eyes open and mouths agaped to witness the horror of what had transpired. “I never liked you.” he grabbed the face of a woman, her gorgeous red eyes now lost in color and her face burnt by the fire. Her clothes burned too and Grim saw a taste of her breasts. “Well besides that one night we had...pity you were still here.” he shoved her face before he kicked it away to continue walking towards the one place he didn’t want to burn down. 

Plus his other friend was waiting for him as he was tapping away in that room, not bothering to reveal his face  to the Grim himself as a dark hood casted down on his face. Courtesy of his identity as well. Grim now walked into the leader’s chambers, and saw the strongest mobster that he had worked for was now lying on his favorite chair, the Throne he remembered the Yazuka members calling it, dead. His eyes were also opened, but plenty of bullet holes penetrated through his suit, which made Grim a very euphoric person as he was jumped with joy. “I see you’re in a festive mood.” the second man said as he swung a gun on his finger, then blowing the muzzle. “I’m glad I didn’t kill you.” he moved the leader’s body away from the Throne for Grim to sit on. “Thank you.” he said as he sat down comfortably and then planted his foot on the head of the dead leader. “Now I see why this chair was the shit. He was able to see everything, and calculated everything here in this very seat.” he laughed as he looked down on the leader’s body. “Well irony finds its way bastard.” he had a sly smile on his face. The second man then tossed the gun away and looked at Grim. “Alright Grimmy. I did my part of the deal, now I want mine.” Grim stopped him as he took out a knife and was ready to throw it at him. “Ah ah ah my slave. You were spared because you have more than I need to make my dream a reality. In fact, your deal is just beginning.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s simple really….have you heard of the Phantom Thieves?” the man nodded his head. Grim chuckled. “Good…but have you heard of their real names?” he shook his head.    
I’ve been trying to hack into government archives and the bunch but I always get blocked by some program named Alibaba. Pain in the ass.”

“What if I told you that I have them all ready to go?” Grim gave him the Shido file had on his right side. The hooded man took it without hesitation. “That model was one of them? Even the Okumura herself?” he was in shock as he flipped through the file. Grim tsked. 

“There’s two individuals I want you to keep an eye out for me. To bring them on their knees...have one dead and the other begging for their life.” Grim closed his eyes as he invionsied the moment the screams, the shrieks, and the horrors Ren and Makoto would have to bear as he went through with his plan. He was eager to taste their blood and toss their bodies down the abyss where no one will find them. The other Phantom Thieves would come later as the would be broken apart. Shattered into a million pieces and be filled with despair that they were either take their own lives or have Grim do the job for them. 

He was tapping his fingers and waited for Hoodie to spot Makoto and Ren’s files as his eyes beneath his goggles widened. “Akito’s daughter?! And her boyfriend?” Grim nodded and yelled in excitement. “They will be the ones to fall! The moral compass of their small group that changed the entire world!” Grim stood up now, crushing the leader’s head in the process as he was in a mood to praise God. “You remember that moment long ago? Where the sky was painted blood red and the city was filled with the largest bones and spines known to man?” the hooded figure shook his head. “I heard of it but not a lot remember that moment.” he replied, to which Grim stabbed his left arm, the hooded man yelping in pain. “How could you not remember the day my spirit was reawakened? My bloodthirst was reborn? All because of them.” he pointed at Ren and Makoto, the same pictures from when they were teenagers. 

Some of his blood was spilled on the two, creating a small image of a bird. “These two...I suspect will be easy to find I hope.” he took out the knife out and returned to the Throne. The hooded figure covered it with his other arm after he put the file down. “I heard from one of the cops that I’m working with that the two of them work together. I can use the records I have on them now thanks to this.” he gave the file back to Grim who received it gently. It was his prized possession...well second prized possession as his first was deep within the confinements of a freezer. 

Grim stayed in the Throne, and sent the hooded man to get on with what he told him to do. “The Phantom Thieves of Hearts shall be no more. They will go down in flames like the very same people beneath me. They will perish and be forgotten while I will become a screaming urban myth. A legend that will haunt the children, and maybe even inspire. A legend that took his name from the Reaper of Souls and the mass murderer of old, Grim Ripper will bear the sigil of fright and despair and tattooed it to the throats of the public.” he removed his mask to revealed his rather soft and gentle face. A small birthmark was seen on the corner of his mouth as he wiped the blood of his partner from his own knife. 

 

* * *

 

Haru was preparing her mask as she was busy relaxing her muscles and practicing her smile. She constantly took a glimpse at herself at the mirror, fixing her hair to her iconic look, now loose. “All done!” she said cheerfully even though she knew she was faking it. After all he was there by the edge of the door now, looking at her. “You look nice.” Akechi said to which Haru ignored once more as she went to grab her purse from her bag. Akechi shook his head and then left the room. At least his eyes did as he looked away, body still in position at the door. “I’m sorry for this morning.” he said softly, a nicer tone that what Haru would’ve imagined for the condescending young man. Haru bit her lower lip before she shook it off. She needed to so she could retain the mask of the cheerful Haru for everyone that night at Ren’s apartment. She needed to be strong one more time before coming home to meet with the man she was facing now. “

It’s fine. My fault.” she said as she grabbed her purse and left the door, pushing Akechi away though she saw he moved for her. “So um...you’re heading out to Ren’s thing? Hope you have fun. I’ll stay here and hold the fo...well make sure  _ they  _ hold the fort.” Akechi chuckled as he scratched his head and pointed at the security guards. Haru nodded and headed to the door.

Before long she was grabbed by Akechi as he pulled her close and hugged her. Haru was in shock to see that Goro Akechi, of all people, knew how to hug as he was a sociopath. A mask wearer in this society that he claimed was just. 

Yet wasn’t she wearing one too? 

Behind all that cheerful smiles she played for the customers at Noir, all those compliments and the positive energy, all for her to come home and witness that sense of why? Why did he show up? Her body was rigid in the hug and didn’t want to say anything until Akechi spoke, still holding her close. Haru could even feel Akechi’s heartbeat go wild like her’s. “I’m sorry....and I will owe it up to you. That’s a promise I’m willing to keep for the rest of my life. Just don’t carry that mask any longer.” he released her, his eyes looking directly at hers. Haru couldn’t believe it when she saw that Akechi’s eyes dropped down in sheer regret when their eyes laid. In fact, she was eager to touch his jagged scar and then talk with him more about the past five years. She continued to bite her lip now before she looked at the clock and realized she needed to leave. “Right.” Akechi said as he took a few steps back for Haru to acknowledge that she could go. Haru simply nodded and turned away to the door, opening it and closing it slowly. 

She walked towards the car now, opening the door and closing it. A few tears shed as she was grasping the wheel, and she was throbbing madly now. “That was the most warmest hug I’ve had in years…” she said as she let out her emotions under the vibrations of the song she played to distort her longing cries.

 

* * *

 

Ren and the gang gathered together once more in his roomy apartment. First Ryuji and Ann showed up with the drinks and a few snacks and popcorn, followed by Yusuke and Hifumi with some chocolates. Futaba came with the surprise that was Sae, who was busy cradling Morgana in her arms. “Apparently he enjoys this.” Sae said in  distraught she placed him neatly on one of the couch pillow. “Sis, that reminded me of the one time you brought home that stray cat and Mom and Dad helped you take care of its little injured tail and leg.” Sae gulped at the word Dad when Makoto mentioned the little story. Sae played along as she smiled forcefully and continued on with the story as she began to sat down.

Moments later Haru arrived, sniffing a little and paying her greetings as she sat down on the couch as well. Ryuji noticed a few tear marks on her shirt collar and begun to ask, but was stopped by Ren as he said it was probably just spilled water. “If it was Akechi, then we need to ask her privately.” Ren told Makoto who nodded back. Yusuke then looked around and scoffed a bit. “Ren, where is the painting I gave you?” he asked rather scornfully before Hifumi dragged him down on the chairs by the living room. Ren shuddered and then laughed it off. “It was a big painting Yusuke. You know how hard it was to even bring it to the apartment?” Makoto nodded and massaged Ren’s arms as a sign of how much effort the cargo was. “Our backs killed for days when we brought it.” Makoto added afterwards. Yusuke felt broken and then had his backs on the two as he was had a defeated fist and cried. “My greatest work...and nowhere to be seen…” Hifumi calmed her beau down. “It’s okay Yusu.” she said as she was relaxing his back. 

“So what movie we gonna watch? I had to blow off a day with Kanna for this?” Futaba said as she was grabbed the remote and began to look for the latest movie to stream. Ren and Makoto were concerned for their formere navigator while Sae leaned on and told them she was like that when I picked her up. “Give her a movie she wants then to ease the tension.” Ren said as he was grabbing the popcorn.

As they were waiting for Futaba to find the movie for an hour, the lights went out for a second. Everyone was confused and Ren could’ve sworn he paid the electricity bill when it was due. He stood up and went to check on the backup he had in one of the guest rooms in his apartment before the lights were back up once more. “Ren! Sit back down.” Makoto hollered at him before Ren nodded and as soon as he went back, he checked his phone and looked at the messages. “Who the hell wants to play with us?” he said as he put the phone away and headed back.

Futaba finally picked the movie she wanted and pressed the stream button, and the movie began to play. Everyone sat on their seats and waited eagerly for when the film started. “Is this what I think it is?” Morgana asked as Futaba nodded. “We’re talking about A Quiet Place everyone!” Futaba said with happiness before everyone was on the edge of their seats. It was a long time for them to watch a horror movie, and one that involved no dialogue whatsoever. Ren even felt the ambience around him although it was one that was too real for him as he was using Third Eye while watching to make sure there was no threat involved.

Once the movie hit the thirty minute mark did things become hectic, and it wasn’t about the movie either. The screen froze, causing everyone to groan as Ren and Ryujihad to get up and find out what was wrong with the TV and the then it was static. Buzzing loudly at everyone and then Ren and Ryuji backed away from the TV. The two of them went back to their seats before the static and it’s buzzing was now gone and a dark room was revealed with a chair being shined on a white light. Blood was seen around it and a dead body too. Sae and Makoto knew who it was as they noticed the Yakuza tag on their neck. The very same one that killed their father.    
Then a voice boomed, whispering softly and tapping on the screen as his fingers made sure the scene was being recorded. “Is this on?” he asked before he was surprised to hear his own voice and then smiled underneath his black mask. 

His purple eyes gazed at everyone and then took a full step back to greet everyone. “Ah you all look so different than five years ago! I’m intrigued truly.” she licked his lips and locked eyes at Sae, who was quivering now as she was now seeing the man who murdered her father. And yet she stayed silent as everyone else were up and looking at Grim. “Who the hell are you?” Ryuji asked with his abrupt tone of voice to which Grim laughed. “Ah Shido wasn’t kidding when he said the Sakamoto was vulgar.” that got everyone’s attention. Especially Ren, Makoto’s, and Haru’s. Ren instinctively looked at Grim’s features to make sure it wasn’t Akechi. The good news was it wasn’t as Haru sent a quick text to Ren saying that the guards are keeping an eye on him. Good.

“How do you know about us? Did you work for Shido?” Yusuke asked as he was protecting Hifumi with an arm stretched out. Grim shook his head and yelled no as he was close to the dead body. “Would a man of Shido do something of this caliber? He was a coward using his own son to kill people in a different world. Manipulating them. No I don’t work for a bitch like him.” Grim removed his mask and took a whiff of the blood of the dead person and licked it from his fingers. “Ah..still fresh.” he smiled before he went back to the camera. “I’m surprised you are all rather calm. Especially Makoto there. Oh dearie how is life with this husband of yours.” he smiled wide, enough to even intimidate the Joker if Ren and Futaba could put to words. “Wha...what you talking about?” Makoto tried to remain calm as she stayed firm to her ground. She also saw Futaba was busy trying to find the location but was blocked numerous times. “Oh your Navi there won’t find where I am. Or who I am for that matter.”

“Then elaborate. Who are you?” Ren asked as he told everyone to sit back down. Grim laughed and walked back to the dead body before he stabbed a knife to it numerous times, creating tension between the two parties. Everyone was losing their color as this wasn’t a prank and that was no ordinary dead body. As if the waved of despair and horror plagued their very core as they ladi there in wait of Grim’s feverish response as he was now done playing with his doll. “The name is Grim Ripper. Nice to meet you all Phantom Thieves of Hearts. If you were wondering, going back to the question about Shido, I did steal some very important files from him.” he showed them the Phantom Thieves files and the pictures of everyone during their teenage years. Everyone’s eyes widened. “If you didn’t work for Shido...then how…” Grim laughed once more. “Because they were eager to give it to me! They didn’t want their blood to be spilled, to be sacrificed for the greater good that is you.” he praised them as he posed in gratitude for them. “And it was very easy thanks to the help of someone who accessed the USB file. Isn’t that right Sae-san?” everyone looked at Sae, who looked down and began to shake. She had her eyes widened and tried to speak, but Makoto spoke for her. “Sis...what is he saying?” Makoto tried to get Sae to react but she stayed there in defeat and utterly hopeless. That was when Makoto begun to be trapped in her web of despair as she looked at Grim. “What did you send her?” she asked Grim forcefully. 

It was then that Ren asked everyone to leave. “Haru will take you to her car and ask her guards to take each of you home.” he said as they all nodded and grabbed their belongings, before feeling a sense of dread as well as the room was now no longer a humble abode. The apartment now became a war zone, a killing zone, and whoever entered would feel it burning in their skulls. The dread would poison them, all thanks to the man on the TV screen. 

The gang began to leave now, leaving Sae, Makoto, and Ren to tend to this monster’s needs but was stopped at Grim began to yell a name that made Ann and Ryuji stopped in their tracks. Everyone as well. “Mika is rather stunning don’t you say...Ann?” Grim trapped her now as everyone stayed. “Now Makoto...answering your question: I thought Sae gave you the USB. In fact, I thought Chief told you as well. Shame on you big sister for leaving her in the dark like that!” Grim smiled and put on his mask as he kicked the dead body off the chair and climbed it, his arms now upwards in a praising manner. 

“Now the game begins! A game that will tie us together and unite our deaths as one! This shall be the Phantom Thieves’ newest task!” his purple eyes then stared at everyone and his smile widened more, disgusting everyone. “Find my identity, find my location, and find my motives. Once you see that...then the game ends. But as you forget to look, more bodies will pile up. More graves will be filled. More souls will be reaped.” he got out of the chair and only his right eye stared them down. “Will you accept this game’s deal? Or let the people you cherish fall?” he then signed off as he stabbed the camera, the signal being static once again.

“Everyone...leave the room.” Makoto said as she looked at Sae, who was still in her daze. Ren looked at the gang who were much like zombies now. Their eyes widened, especially Ann’s as she was looking at her hands. Ryuji snapped out of it and carried her away. “It’s okay Ann..”

“Mika….” Ann said in a whisper as the two left the room.

“We should leave as well.” Hifumi and Yusuke gulped and tried to move their legs but realized they lost blood, thus lowling shuffling back to their car. “Haru, take Futaba with you.” Ren said as Haru nodded, then asked Futaba who was there in defeat as she failed to hack for the first time in years. “Kanna could be….” she said once Haru pulled her and away they left, now leaving Sae, Makoto, and Ren by themselves.

 

* * *

 

Once Sae recovered, she forced her way to tell Ren and Makoto everything. She even showed them the USB, which Makoto and Ren looked at the footage of Akito’s death. Ren stood by Makoto’s side as her red eyes glowed thanks to the screen, buring the image of her father being shot and toyed with by glass shards by Grim Ripper himself. Makoto stayed there, examining everything , but not the way she examiend her work, Ren, or anything for that matter. Queen was no longer in possession as the useless and poor Makoto Niijima as she shed tears of anger and hatred now. Ren saw her throbbing in pain and she was forcing her way to see everything and once the message showed, Makoto closed the laptop, removed the USB...and chuck it towards the wall as hard as she could to try breaking the USB. “Mako!” Ren tried to calm her down, but she pushed Ren and then looked at Sae, who was now facing with a distraught and broken Makoto. 

“Makoto…” Sae began to speak but Makoto raised a finger.

“How long?” she asked softly, making Ren back away.

“I don’t understand the questio-”

“Sis you’re a damn lawyer so you know how to answer and formulate a freaking question! Now tell me before so help me God, how long did you have this?” Makoto’s eyes were tearing up and she was clenching her hands tight, her nails digging into her palms like Haru’s. Sae looked away. “A week and a half…” she said softly as Makoto was now shattered into a million pieces, staggering a bit before Ren grabbed her, but was pushed back as Makoto was ready to attack. “You knew for that long….for that long….and you didn’t tell your sister about it so she could do something?” that was when Sae ticked as well, smacking Makoto for the first time. She couldn’t help herself as Makoto was there in shock, her eyes wide open at the impact that was laid before she too returned the favor and the two lashed out at each other. Ren had to break the two as Makoto was just about ready to punch, punching Ren’s chest as hard as she could, thinking it was Sae herself. “Go home Sae-san. You did enough for the day.” Ren’s eyes showed sorrow for both Makoto and himself as Sae apologize by bowing and leaving the room as quickly as she could, hands shaking and rubbing her cheek as she had betrayed her sister for the first time. 

Ren meanwhile was enduring all the blind punches before he was shushing his wife, calming her down as Makoto was now crying without stopping. Her chest was heaving and she was squeaking,trying to talk but couldn’t as more tears were falling down and she was coughing. Ren did his best to calm her down, massaging her and rubbing her, hugging her warmly as she continued. “It’s okay Mako. It’s okay. I’m here. Everything will be alright my Queen.” Ren reassured her while the longing and dreadful smile of Grim Ripper painted the once peaceful night sky into one that will mark the end of days for many.

And the start of the game he wished the gang to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Five Ends: The Game Begins  
> Episode Six Start: Fool's Syndrome


	6. Fool's Syndrome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Fool may be the ultimate card in Tarot Readings, but there will be a point in time where the Fool himself will bgin to lose a fight. And the ones around him.

Quivering. Heart thumping. Keys shaking in one hand, and the other close to her heart. Unable to breath properly. Mind gone and left the body of the poor Haru Okumura as she had finished dropping everyone off from Ren’s apartment that night. Her senses weren’t acting properly as she stood there, paralyzed and frozen in thought from what had transpired. “ _ Everyone...Mako-chan…”  _ Haru thought in despair as she was now opening the door, the creaks louder than her own footsteps. It caused her to shriek a little once she opened to enter her house. 

There she saw Akechi, reading a book, sitting on the long couch that faced the wall and the large television screen. Her mind went back to Grim and she winced, looking away at the screen and then heading quickly to the kitchen counter. Akechi didn’t look up form his intense reading, his arm stretched out and his head slanted downwards. He flipped the page, the folding being heard loudly in the room. It seemed he was invested in the book that he was blocking all sound within him. Haru was glad at least that he wasn’t seeing her shiver from the events. She needed to stay strong and show him who was boss. 

Of course that was impossible when there is a serial killer on the loose after her and her friends. Her mind went back to Ren and Makoto, the primary targets of Grim Ripper. She clenched a fist, nails digging once more to her palms. Blood was for sure being felt this time around, but she didn’t care. Haru walked towards her bedroom before she almost tripped on accident from one of the stairs from the kitchen to the bedroom. She yelled loudly now, and Akechi heard, quickly closing the book and coming to Haru’s aid. “I got you.” he said as he grabbed her from behind, his arms closing around her hip area. Haru had her eyes closed and when she opened them, she saw Akechi’s face looking down on her with concern. Haru’s mouth widened as she looked at his eyes and for the first time felt a sense of hope in them. A beacon of light compared to when she stared down at them back then in Shido’s Ark, filled with contempt and disgust. Did he really change?

Haru’s mind quickly went to Grim as she was shaking within Akechi’s grasp. Shuddering and tears about to fall before Akechi could even ask why as she stood there with him, in his arms. Was Grim going to be after Akechi-kun too? Surely Grim must’ve known the connection between Akechi and Shido, father and son, but looking at Akechi at this very moment, her feelings of hatred for him was loosen. Not gone however as she brushed him off and began to walk towards the couch to sit down in utter anguish. She needed to be alone. Or did she really?

Akechi approached her now, trying to find a way to comfort her, but he too had his hands clenched tight. His teeth gritted and he was there in shock. Does she want to be alone? No, she needed someone and the only person she had was him. Even though he was the one who killed her father, she needed someone to lean on at this moment. Akechi had to do it. For her sake.

“Haru…” he spoke softly.

“Go away please.” she stuttered as she was sniffing loudly, her body vibrating and moving frantically. “Just leave me alone for the night.” that hurt Akechi as he clearly saw Haru’s eyes, yelling to him to stay by her side for this one time. Akechi nodded and as he approached her much more closely, he pulled her arms away from her teary face and embraced her in his arms. Haru tried to push him back, but she was too weak. Too lost. Too broken. Akechi shushed her down and hugged her. “I was filled in by Ren, so I know.” Akechi’s words shocked Haru as she wrapped her arms around him, her nails accidentally sinking into Akechi’s back. He continued to talk. “I know what happened Haru...and I’m in shock more so than you, Makoto, Ren, and everyone. So please...let me do this one thing for you.” 

Haru cried loudly that night, her face muffled and the tears running through her eyes and staining Akechi’s shirt. Akechi rubbed her back and continued to embrace her warmly, something even he thought he could never do. Guess five years was enough time to heal his broken wounds. And enough time to mend the person that was in front of him and gave him a home. 

Akechi planted his head on top of her’s, his eyes slowly closing as they began to fall into a deep slumber that night, Haru and he falling to the couch, arms interlocking each other. 

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t just Haru that was in the same state.

Once Ryuji and Ann entered their apartment building, their faces shook and filled with despair, they slowly opened their apartment door. For the most part, the apartment was big for the two of them considering that Ryuji was sports intern and doing some sports news as a side job while helping out the track coach at Shujin, courtesy of Kawakami, and Ann with her modeling job, the two were loaded enough to have the current apartment they were in. Though the bikes that were by the door, the kitchen counter filled with snacks, and the lounge chairs with the couch didn’t satisfied them that night as once Ryuji opened the door, Ann’s legs lost their way, making her fall on her knees when they took the first few steps inside. “Ann!” Ryuji knelt down towards her and saw her eyes blurry and widened. She wasn’t shaking, but she stood there frozen. Ryuji heard her mumble a few words, but she stood there. He gritted his teeth and cursed to himself. “Damn that Grim Ripper!” he almost shouted as he helped Ann get to one of the chairs and situated her. Ann mumbled once more to thank her beau, but she was still in a trance. Grim’s bloody hands were by her throat as she couldn’t speak. She couldn’t, and whatever she wanted to say was stuck in her throat, gasping to be mouthed and expressed. A sight that Ryuji was now angry about. 

Ryuji gave Ann some space before he went to the bedroom. Before long, his shirt was being pulled by Ann and Ryuji looked back to see Ann’s head casted down. “I won’t let him…..let him….get to Mika...and Shiho.” Ann said finally as she was trying to pull herself up now. Why she said Shiho was something Ryuji tried to figure out, but Ann realized the hidden message Grim pulled on her. “ _ He didn’t mean Mika alone...he wants Shiho’s blood too with ours.” _ Ann thought as Ryuji helped her up. “Ann, you don’t have to do this. Stay here and I’ll get you the covers.” Ann shook her head crookedly, her eyes tearing up. She didn’t have to say anything for Ryuji to understand.  _ Stay with me _ . That was what she was saying.  _ Be strong with me _ . That was the true message as Ryuji nodded back and comfort her as they too like Haru and Akechi, stayed by each other’s sides that deadless night. After a few minutes, Ann dozed off and was held by Ryuji tight in his chest area. Ryuji smiled subtly at Ann and carried her quietly to the bedroom. All while holding in his outbursts towards the damned man who broke his girlfriend, his friends, and definitely Ren and Makoto.

 

* * *

 

The same went with Yusuke and Hifumi as they huddled close together to get rid of that feeling of loss, of dread, or sorrow, or grim. Yusuke was massaging Hifumi as she wasn’t crying nor shuddering. She was restraining herself and so was Yusuke as he was sitting there with her on the edge of the bed. However Yusuke did felt shattered as the one promise he had made with Hifumi had been broken thanks to Grim Ripper. The promise was one that Hifumi would never be affiliated with the Phantom Thieves. Never be a part of the gang’s mistakes and hardships, and seeing the events that transpired in Ren’s home proved him wrong. His promise was now torn easily, as if to say that Grim knew of it from the get-go. Of course he had the files on him and the former Thieves, yet Yusuke miscalculated as Hifumi was in the room with him instead of trying to keep her hidden. Now it was on him, for the talented beauty he adored for so long was now a hit market in the game Grim created. 

“Don’t beat yourself down Yusuke.” Hifumi’s words shook him back to reality as her words sinked in nicely in the dying atmosphere around them. Yusuke nodded to her and then he was thrown down on Hifumi’s laps, Hifumi playing with Yusuke’s hair. It was then that Yusuke miscalculated yet again. Her hands were trembling as she was swaying his hair, her eyes down with grief and a sniffle escaped her. Yusuke’s eyes widened. Hifumi was struggling too with what had happened. Yusuke grabbed her hands and kissed them lightly. “Hifumi...I’m sorry for this.”

“For what Yusuke? My beauty won’t be ruined that easily. I won’t be down so easily.” her hands were still trembling but she casted a smile on her beau. Yusuke stood up once more and then planted his head next to her’s. “Grim won’t get you...he won’t…” Hifumi nodded and hugged him tight. Yusuke teared up a little this time. Grim won’t get to the one person he found with the beauty and the skills he needed to thrive in the world of art. Nor will Grim taint his bloodshed on everyone else. Or so he thought as that same night, along with everyone else, Ren was by his balcony comforting his beloved before it all went downhill. 

 

* * *

 

Ren knew the possibilities of what would go down that night once Makoto woke up from her angered slumber. He was well aware of the stubbornness the Niijima presented throughout their time together, and he wasn’t hesitant to stop her from doing said stubborn habits. However Grim was now a part of the equation that was his life. Now with his mocking glare and sociopathic smile on his pallid face, Ren was now worried for Makoto, for the outcome of her falling into the hands of that bastard was imminent and he needed to snap her out of the trance before it was too late.

Nevertheless he stayed quiet as he sat on onefo the balcony chairs, admiring the serene night sky and the usual incoming traffic of cars, bikes, and the such down below his seven floor apartment. The neon lights within the area shone brightly and with a sense of foreboding as Ren looked at the text messages while guiltily looking at what could’ve been the most nicest view out of his time in his dwelling. As he scrolled through the text from earlier that day, he gritted his teeth slightly and his dark-grey eyes casted down upon the phone with a small taste of despair and yet with a glimmer of hope as he looked at them once more. “Grim knows my phone number...Futaba, see if you can pin these pictures to a location when you can.” he knew the orange haired girl, though defeated by unable to locate Grim’s location on the broadcast, gave a text with the thumbs up emoji as he finished his sentence. Good thing Futaba hacked through all their phones and provided them with intense security during the years. Hope it lasts for a long time until Ren can figure out a way to apprehend Grim before he lands his next target. He continued to grit his teeth.

He heard a small groan from behind him, Makoto waking up now after her outbreak with her own sister. Ren put the phone away and quickly texted Futaba that the pictures are between us and no one needs to know. She agreed with another thumbs up. He then looked at his wife, her face groggy and still filled with the saltiness of the burning tears in her cheeks. Her eye makeup was a little ruined as well, staining the sides of her eyelids and her red eyes losing a little of its lustrous color. She remained in the couch, her legs tucked in, and looking back at Ren with a broken smile before she began to tear up once more. Ren came to confront her as he ran to her and hugged her tight, letting her shake within his strong arms one last time. Her body was looser than before, and she nestled her face between Ren’s chest. “All this time….” her voice choked for a minute before she continued. “All this time I believed my father died on impact, his soul and being casted away now to a better place despite leaving me and Sis. All this time,” she cried loudly and Ren shushed her to calm her down. “Mako...don’t you worry. I’m here. I’m here.” Ren kissed the top of her head. Makoto felt its kindness as she stopped and continued speaking, but decided not to as she looked at Ren, indicating to him, her doting husband, to give her a few more minutes. Ren knew and nodded, telling her to take a small shower to wash away her sorrows, her hatred, and what he hoped was her stubbornness. That was the main issue he was worried for. 

Makoto nodded and then left Ren’s arms and making her way slowly to the bedroom to take a cold shower. She knew that the Joker is right to say that a shower is what she needed now. It keeps her at bay with her emotions, her thoughts, everything. However her mind thought differently this time. It betrayed her, loathed her, despised the very essence of the Queen and her state.  _ You know what you need to do. You know what must be done. He is out there and you know he needs to be caught. _ Her mind circled through those words as she was heading her way to relieve her guilt. Her stubbornness was getting to her once more.

Ren sighed as he saw the door to the bedroom close, picking himself back up from the couch. He pointed his body towards the TV screen, and looped back to the Grim Ripper footage. He closed his eyes to envision everything using Third Eye. 

The one thing he caught on about Third Eye was that it wasn’t just to indicate to himself the hidden treasures during the Palaces, or the enemies that lurked, or how Futaba liked to have called it when he explained Eagle Vision from Assassin’s Creed. It wasn’t just that, but it was also a rewinder. A recording device through his subconscious in which he can hone in on when he focus hard on what he remembered seeing as he closes his eyes. 

His eyes now closed and standing in the area where he stood during the terrible announcement that winded the fates of Grim and himself, he looped back to the moment it was broadcasted. When the room of the dead man in his chair was seen and Grim was tapping the screen. Ren knew that Grim’s focus was to have everyone pay attention to him and his speech, but as Ren went back using Third Eye, he looked at the dead man. What was he wearing? He examined the dead body now, but the honing in was too much for him as he was straining his eyesight. He opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times for his eyes to regain the amount of light they needed to be back. Then he walked back to the bedroom door to see how Makoto was doing. Or if she was still in the shower, to join her afterwards. He took out his shirt and pants in the process of getting there anyway, so he might as well take the chance. Plus Makoto would need someone desperately. She was his wife after all. 

As he opened the door and threw his clothing on the floor besides his side of the large bed, he looked at the time. It was officially midnight. “What a night....here’s hoping the morning will be better.” he muttered.  _ Grim Ripper, huh? Whoever you are, I won’t stop until I find you. Your intentions are clear: me and Mako are the ones you want. Well I won’t let you get Mako. Not a chance in hell.  _ Ren made his way to the shower, his towel by his shoulder and opening it to see Makoto washing her hair and now smoothing her skin with the soap.

* * *

 

 

Makoto tossed and turned as she slept through the night of terror. Her body was busy moving around, her mouth groaning and searching for breath, her eyes empty and yet filled with a desire of dread. Her mind betraying her once more as the nightmare she faced was killing her inch by inch. She found her breathing, but it was uneven, and she felt like she was being squeezed tight, air lost and her body tighten as hands were wrapping around her now. Bloody hands tainted her soul and forced her way around her legs, arms, and her neck, choking her now. “Stop...please.” she begged both in the real world and in the nightmare, but the despair kept to her as now a crooked smile was being summoned in the depths of the hands. A smile that was just as bloody, and spread wide to show its marks, its sense of pleasure to see its victim begging for mercy. Like how her father begged when he saw the same smile painted across Grim’s face. Now it was her turn.

She spoke free of the spell when she shrieked in pain, causing Ren to wake up and shoot his body upwards to check on Makoto, now breathing heavily and curled to the side. She was inhaling and exhaling and her red eyes widened with such fear in them. “Help me...help me…” she kept muttering, frozen in place and feeling cold throughout her body.  _ Save me please. Someone. _

It was then when Ren grabbed her and pulled her close to his body, his chest heaving heavily as well and his heart thumping loudly like her’s. Makoto didn’t look at Ren as she was shaking once more, unable to sleep that night despite Ren being by her side in this time of trouble. 

 

* * *

 

Ren made sure Makoto called in sick that day as he left the house. “I don’t want you to work today, alright Mako? Stay here and relax for the day. Get your mind back in the game.” Makoto nodded solemnly. Ren smiled and left the room now, before he was being shouted at to come here by Makoto. She then looked down. “Ren...thank you for last night.” 

“Mako, you of all people needed it. Sure Sae and you had a rough patch, but I’m sure you found the reason why she kept it a secret, correct?”

“She didn’t want any of us to be involved, but!” Makoto wanted to argue now, but Ren shook his head. “But nothing Mako. Grim wants us to feel despair and a sense of fallen hope. A means to break ourselves apart before we burst. If we let him cave in to that desire, then he wins.” Ren grabbed Mako’s wedding ring hand. “We need to think this through to the end, and right now I need you to be calm and not let that stubbornness get to you like how it did in the past. Please Mako.” Ren pleaded with his wife now as he looked at the shiny silver ring around her ring finger, telling both he and Makoto that they need to be strong more than ever. Grim can’t win. 

Makoto nodded as she had nothing more to speak of. There was nothing because her husband nailed the things she needed to hear and not lose sight of. But then the voices in her head appeared.  _ Find him. Break him like how he broke Dad. Break him.  _ Makoto gulped and shushed the voices away. 

Ren then kissed his wife goodbye, and officially left the apartment and made his way to the police station and confront Chief this time around about Grim Ripper. He also needed to go back and figure out who the dead man was to get the first clue towards who Grim was. As he continued to ponder the idea of Grim and his identity, he pumped into Akechi as he left the apartment building, both of them falling down. “What the hell...Akechi?” Ren saw Akechi raise a hand. Ren took the offer and picked himself up. “What are you doing here?” Ren asked further as he composed himself. Akechi then sighed and took a cigarette out, something Ren never knew he had it in him to do. Akechi offered him and Ren joked about how he took the inspiration from Sojiro. Akechi chuckled. “Nah...took this bad habit from someone during the five years of my disappearance. He was kinda like Sakura-san, though more formal in a sense, and took me in for a few days before he knew who I was. Plus it’s a way to repress the mind and get it to work a little.”

“What are you, Sherlock Holmes?” Ren laughed as the two walked towards Ren’s car, parked at the other side of the street. Akechi chuckled. “Maybe?” the two crossed the street, now feet away from the car. Ren felt a sense of depressed nostalgia as he went back to the footage Sae kept from them. It felt familiar, but he didn’t let it get to him. The reached the car now. “Akechi, about Grim,” Akechi pointed a finger to cease his statement, and locked eyes with his former rival, his jagged scar piercing through Ren’s right eye, almost creating a scar of its own on the fluffy haired young adult. “Haru was broken last night, which I’m sure the others felt too. Niijima as well. This man is someone above all aspects of evils imaginable.” Akechi exhaled some smoke from the cigarette one last time before he tossed it out and then fixed his collar and the red tie he wore this time around with his white button down and black suit vest. “I might as well consider him as the Devil no doubt. A man deprived of all things hope and fallen into a path that beared him his name.”

“You could say his soul is long gone this point Goro.” Ren never used Akechi’s first name but Akechi felt enlightened to be called by his first name for once. He smiled wholeheartedly. “Yeah you could say that Ren. In the meantime we have to swear to each other one thing.”

“Which is?”

“We work together to bring him down. Makoto when she’s ready can join in and the others but only when they’re capable of. Plus…” he stopped before he opened the car door open. Akechi went to Haru and how she broke down last night, her eyes losing that glimmer of hope despite also bearing the sigil of hatred towards her. He needed to make things right and be there for her now more than ever. Here was his chance to prove her that. “Haru, whether she likes to admit it or not, she is counting on me to bring him down. She knows deep within her heart that I want to make things right by her. No matter the cost.” Ren chuckled and patted his friend’s back before he too opened the car door. “Sounds like you’re in love with her. Though a man like you to fall in love with the girl who he killed her father sounds a bit off.” Akechi appreciated the gesture Ren gave and smiled at him. “Well that guy is long gone Amamiya Ren. He died five years ago.” the two entered the car now, and heading their way towards the police station to begin the trial of a lifetime. 

The trial where the doves, along with their newly advised crow by their side, were to fight with the largest raven of them all. No, not a raven as Ren and the others knew full well that raven shed its feathers and evolved into nothing more than a hungry ad bloodthirsty vulture, eager to await its dove prey and devour them to the core. 

In fact, that very same vulture was in his lair, laughing with all his might as he clapped his hands in celebration towards the initiation of his killing game. Now he needed the  _ other person _ to play his part as he looked into the computer screens, and now looking at what appeared to be a lovely young lady, her brown hair loose and her eyes being covered by her sunglasses as she walked to and fro on the streets of Ginza, heading for her next gig as Ann had to cancel hers due to personal reasons. Grim continued to gaze at her and merely smiled at the sight of a lost and poor soul to be reaped by him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Six Over: Fool's Syndrome  
> Episode Seven Start: Brawls in Bars
> 
> If you enjoyed what you read, be sure to comment, kudo, and bookmark! And follow me on Twitter at Brianycus as well for some fun ranting, streaming notices, and more! Thank you!


	7. Brawl in Bars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brawl is surely brewing. Whether it is internal or external, there are always two people at war with each other. The problem is who will win? And who shall die?

Ren and Akechi sped a little off the highway as they headed towards the police station. Ren’s eyes were heavily focused on the road while Akechi looked out from the window, his arm planted on the arm of the door, and his eyes gazing on the street. Five years may seem small, but for the streets of Shibuya, Akechi noticed the major yet subtle differences around him. He was amazed by the sight that he discreetly avoided due to his public appearance at the time, and now as he is under some sort of invisibility cloak, he appreciated the sights. In a more truthful way as he no longer bore the mask he once had.

It was then when Ren cleared his throat to speak, diverting Akechi’s attention from the street’s sights to how his former rival’s face, still looking forward as he made a slight left turn now. Akechi’s body shifted a little to his side. “Akechi,” Ren began. “You never told us exactly what you were doing for the past five years. You only told us it was an exile. A means for redemption.”

“Ah yes, Ren I did forget to tell you.” Akechi chuckled and went to go for another smoke but Ren shook his head. Akechi put his hand back to where it was before he replied back. “Five years I went everywhere in Japan. I mean it when I say everywhere as I was a nomad, moving from place to place.”

“Why?” Ren was curious. Akechi laughed and pat Ren’s back, then continued speaking as he red-brown eyes now gazed at the road ahead. “Why? To be honest, not even I know the answer. I just did it. To break from Destiny’s chains? To remove my public mask? I don’t know the true answer, my dear friend.” He leaned a little back for his seat and crossed his arms, his eyes looking at the roof of the car. Akechi knew the real reason, yet he didn’t want to tell Ren. He wanted to tell Haru the truth, but only when she was ready to face why. For now, he had to play dumb for a little before telling it to everyone. “So you just did it, and you don’t have an explanation for it...damn it seems I influenced you too much.” Ren joked now as he smiled his usual teasing smirk, and Akechi pulled the same smile, just as identical. “I suppose so...ah we’re here now.” Akechi pointed at the station and Ren nodded in agreement. The car then made a right turn to reach the garage now, where an officer greeted them and instantly spotted Akechi Goro. Akechi waved back and the officer was stunned before he shook his hand before Ren’s and took them to Ren’s parking spot. “Thank you.” Ren said to the officer who nodded his head in acknowledgment, and once the car moved past the officer, he couldn’t help but grin wide and make a quick phone call.

The car parked now, and the two young men go out of their seats. Ren pressed the lock button twice to ensure the car was locked and walked towards the elevator to head to the first floor of the police station. Akechi waited by the edge of the elevator’s walls and hummed a tune, something Ren didn’t know he had the guts to do as well. Ren even knew the song. “Is that Left Hand Free by Alt J?” Akechi nodded, still whistling to the tune. “Yeah, it is. Heard it from a tourist during my travels.”

“He had good taste.” Ren smiled and the ding was now heard, revealing the precinct that Ren and Makoto had the honor of serving. Then he tapped Akechi’s shoulder to proceed with what they needed to do. “Chief is still around?” Akechi asked. 

“Yeah, he is. He would be surprised to see you that’s for sure.” Ren said as they walked towards Chief’s office, opening it and to see a shocked Chief’s face when Akechi revealed himself to the old man, while Ren shut the door as hard as he could so the conversation they were going to have would be between them and no one else.

 

* * *

 

Makoto fell back to sleep as part of Ren’s advice to calm herself down after the events of last night. She even her breathing, her eyes fluttering themselves to shut and rest as her head was laid back on the soft white pillow from the bedroom. She had her phone to her counter near her side of the bed, letting it charge and on silent. Messages were popping left and right from Eiko about her recent trip to Europe, studying the ancient ruins there as if she was Lara Croft. That was Ren’s nickname for her anyways whenever she visited after her tours. That and her bickering about environmental affairs too. As the messages popped up, lighting the screen despite its silence, Makoto fell into a deep slumber. She relaxed her tensed body and curled up a little to get the warmness that was still around Ren’s area. Makoto felt her mouth moved and curled into a smile, a warm one, as she laid there.

But then the dreams returned. Grim’s nightmare fuel poisoned her body once more as she laid there to catch her breath and get her mind back to normal. She was struggling now as the dreams returned, seeing her father lying there in front of her. Her eyes in that damn nightmare widened in horror, kneeling down to greet her dead father, which resulted in more shattered glass. They pricked her skins, and as they prickled, screams were heard, laughter was billowing around her. It was Grim’s laughter no less. “Leave me alone...leave me alone…” Makoto kept muttering as she shook her body, both in the dream and in the real world. Her head was suddenly spinning, and the voices came back now. Her voice was clear and distinct, and haunting her every single second.  _ Daddy never really died instantly...Daddy was tortured...beaten...and killed. You know what that means, right? _

_ “ _ No...stop it!” Makoto’s heart was beating loudly. She was shaking, her body cold now and she was hyperventilating. Her hands formed into fists, nails digging into her palms, and her eyes shut tight and struggling. She needed to leave the horror. She needed to wake up, but she knew she couldn’t. Grim’s bloody hands returned, and his smile once more. Then the smile opened wide so as to speak now towards the helpless Detective Queen. “I have you right where I want you.” a revolver was seen now in one of his hands, loaded and ready to pull the trigger. “Now join your dearest father...BANG!” 

Makoto jolted upwards, her eyes widened and her body sweating furiously. She was breathing frantically, her heart thumping, almost to the point where her chest felt like it was going to fall off. Then the quivering reappeared, freezing her body and her mind as it shook to no end. Makoto then stood up, weak now, and worked her way to the living room, as she cried to the point of no return with each step. 

She felt like dying at that point in time.

 

* * *

 

“Ren...Goro…” Chief gritted his teeth when he saw the two standing in front of him to scold at him about what he predicted to be Grim Ripper. His glasses fogged up a little due to his frustration and didn’t bother to look at the two young men as he felt ashamed. A failure towards them. He tried to speak once more, but Akechi stopped him with his finger. “You don’t need to say anything Chief,” Akechi said seriously. Ren nodded but then sighed. “But an apology would be nice once this is all over.” Ren added as he invited Akechi to sit next to him, seeing that the man was still standing, facing Chief. Akechi sat down now, and Chief managed to speak now, his eyes staring at them. “I’m sorry about not disclosing Grim. Sae-san wanted to keep it hidden to protect you, and especially Makoto.” Ren clenched his knuckles after hearing his wife’s name. Makoto Niijima, the strongest there was in the task force, now sulking and broken down at home. Having the images of the shattered Makoto in his mind, Ren’s thoughts betrayed him. Shouldn’t he be home with her instead of facing Chief? What kind of a husband leaves his broken wife out there by herself? Ren shook the thoughts now, despite telling him without context about what he would face in the coming month. He knew Makoto was strong-willed, but then his mind went back to her stubbornness. Yet Ren needed to believe in her, in everyone now that was exposed to Grim’s game. 

“Chief...who exactly is Grim Ripper?” Ren asked to get the question out of his mind and to get what he needed to play the game Grim created for them. Solve his identity and they win. Simple as that. Chief pulled out a file from under his desk and tossed it in the middle of the two of them. The folder was light, extremely light even, and Akechi looked to Ren to see if he should open it. Ren nodded, and Akechi opened the folder to reveal several photos of the events that had occurred a few days ago. Pictures of the two dead Yakuza members hung, and others from before their time. That and copies of pictures from the video in the USB sent by Sae. “This is it?” the two asked in disgust. Chief solemnly nodded. “Grim Ripper is just as new to me as well. I always, no, the task force always believed that Akito died on impact, not this torture fest, and seeing this is... _ frightening. _ ”

“It most certainly is,” Akechi replied back as he examined the pictures. “The two dead Yakuza members...they were to prove a point, which is obvious with the statement presented with their blood...but I feel like something is missing here.” Akechi gave the photo to Ren now for his turn of examination. “I had the same idea Goro, which off topic, but how are you alive? It’s been five years!” Akechi digressed the question as he was more curious to hear Ren’s take on the photo. Ren was focused on it indeed, but Akechi knew he was using Third Eye as his eyes tinted a bit of yellow around his pupil area. “ _ Of course Joker.” _ Akechi sighed.

Using Third Eye to find a hidden clue, Ren looked up and down the photos. The dead men had the same tattoo as the one from the video, so did that mean Grim had a vendetta against his own kin? It would seem to be the case as he looked back at the video in his mind, except here there were no burn marks. The one in the video did, meaning Grim must’ve played with fire that night. “ _ What else is there?”  _  Ren scanned the photos, straining his eyes even more. The burn marks...the dead Yakuza members...the blood on the one...wait, Ren looked back on the photo that had the two hung Yakuza members and had the blood on the wall. Then he took out his phone and pressed on the photo that had the same background. He then smiled as he clicked the two together and presented it to the two. “Recently, and I haven’t told anyone other than Futaba and you Akechi, this photo was sent to me. At first, I had no idea why, but ever since Grim’s game, I was looking for clues until I noticed this,” Ren showed that several letters on both photos were a little distinct. “These letters have a sort of line that is sent downwards, and if this is blood, then shouldn’t the other be the same?”

“Unless the other letters were crimson paint or something that would look like blood,” Akechi said in awe as he too looked at the photos. Chief was also analyzing them and then grabbed the two attentions. “It appears to be a name. There’s the D, and then an A, and so on.”

“Diablo’s,” Akechi said suddenly as he had his hand to his chin and his red-brown eyes examined everything. “As in the Spanish word for Devil, but also the name of an underground bar in Shinjuku.” Akechi grabbed the photo and gave back Ren’s phone, and he continued to ponder at the thought. “If he’s sending us there, then there is a reason as it’s part of his little game. We just need to head inside and talk to the ones in charge and see if we can get something.”

“My word Akechi,” Chief blinked in amazement, and he coughed a little, which worried the two in front of him. He reassured them he was alright. “I’m surprised you figure this out, my boys. Especially you Ren. Akito would’ve love to see you marry his daughter, and tend to her needs as a doting spouse. Seeing you two take this initiative makes me believe that we still haven’t lost hope yet.”

“There’s still time inc this is early. If we head to Diablo’s soon, we can get the upper hand.” Akechi pressed one hand on the desk. “We should do this with caution too. It’s too early the day.” Ren replied back as he crossed his arms and then looked behind Chief, as a flock of birds made their way around the city streets that stood tall in their infrastructure. Ren then went back to Makoto, wondering how she was feeling, once he told Chief he was heading back home until he met up with Akechi later that day to start Grim Ripper’s game. 

 

* * *

 

Futaba stretched her arms in her usual tired manner. Her eyes were a bit groggy after the events of Grim, and shedding tears of frustration after failing to hack the video footage and taking him down there and then. She rubbed the salt that still stayed in her purple eyes and she decided to skip college for this one time despite knowing that psychology is going to be a pain once she returns the next day. However, she couldn’t care less about school and should be focusing on helping Ren and her friends, for Grim was on the damn loose, meaning she needed to go back to her Navi mentality once again.  Futaba checked the time as it was 11:00 in the morning, and she got out of her bed and walked silently to her dresser. She casually grabbed her usual light gray sweater and her simple black shirt and put on some pants. Closing the dresser, she immediately went to the computer screens that were to her right side of the bedroom and sat down to start cracking the codes. 

She scrolled through her phone and looked at the texts that Ren sent her regarding the photos and connections with Grim. Then she looked at a recent one that said he solved the case with them and that he was heading to an underground bar at night. “Need you to be on the lookout in case things go wrong. Typical Ren.” she smirked now, though with a sense of guilt as she shook her head. Surely she could be of assistance, but for what exactly? Grim was nagging at her now as she was trying to type into the computer and learn more about the bar: security, main staff, its people and the likes, but Grim was restraining from doing what she needed to do. “Go away!” she yelled as she smacked the desk loudly, waking Morgana up that was sleeping beside the computer screens. “What the hell Futaba! I'm trying to sleep here.” Morgana tossed and circled the other way so his black cat face wouldn’t be bothered by the light from the screens. Futaba sighed, touched Mona’s fur and then left the room since she was in a mental block. She opened the door and decided to get some breakfast at either Leblanc or make her own. Sojiro bought some cereal the other day, so why not grab some? Her stomach was pleading for it, and Futaba knew that it was the final decision. 

At least until the doorbell rang. 

“Sojiro you forgot something?” she yelled as she nagged to herself and then walked towards the door, scratching her lower back and yawning now. The door was knocking a little louder now and she was getting irritated. “Sojiro I’m coming damn it!” she yelled as she opened the door with such force, that Kanna blinked and shrieked a little. “Kanna?” Futaba was now confused and held the door now, facing her friend. “Hey, Futa….um...I think I came at a bad time.” 

“Not at all! I thought it was Sojiro, which is why I acted that way. Didn’t mean to lash out at you.” Futaba twiddled her fingers, and Kanna merely laughed it off. “I see Futa. My bad for not saying it was me when I was knocking. Anyways...saw that you didn’t show up today. Anything happened?” Kanna asked so innocently that Futaba almost bit her tongue when she went to reply to her dear friend. She wanted to tell Kanna about the horrific incident last night, and that Grim was on the loose to get at her and Kanna. His demonic purple eyes are probably spying on her at this very moment. 

Nevertheless, Futaba shook the thought and invited her friend inside the old black house, taking her to the kitchen, where the two conversed as if nothing had happened, while she also had to mentally prepare herself for what Ren told her to do. Brace for anything that might come her way. 

 

* * *

 

Later that night, Ren and Akechi parked near the Diablo’s underground bar entrance. The two of them decided it was best if they dressed the part of Yakuza members as Ren was fixing his dark grey blazer and red button down, one button unbuttoned by his neck area. He also cut his hair for the occasion, now slicked back and to the side, revealing his forehead. Meanwhile, Akechi still looked the same, and point the long parts of his hair as a small ponytail and had his left eye scar pop out more with his attire, being what he wore the entirety of the day except for the red tie and the suit vest. He was scratching the back of his head. 

The two former Wild Cards stopped at an entrance that had a large crimson logo of the devil’s horns vibrantly placed on the sides of the word Diablo’s, which was also a deep crimson color. Ren looked to the sides to see a large alleyway, and Akechi steadied himself at the front, where two bodyguards were seen by the main entrance. He turned to Ren, who was busy fixing his hair and feeling somewhat deprived. “Wait until Mako sees what I did.” Ren simply said with a curved smile, and then patted Akechi’s back. “Got a plan? We could use one.”

“By the looks of it, the guards are there in case things go wrong, so we can enter no problem. The problem, however, is who are we even looking for.”

“That is for when we entered inside Akechi. Let’s focus on entering the building.”

“Right.” and with that, the two walked towards the guards, waved at them sternly, and entered the underground bar.

Despite the crimson-colored sign when they entered, the place looked nothing more but a simple rave party. Neon flashing lights were seen on the dance floor, people crowding and shoving each other as they danced like fools. The bar was to their right and saw that multitudes of women were flaunting their assets to the bartenders to cater them to their needs, and perhaps more, Ren and Akechi wasn’t that aware as their eyes focused on center stage once again for a booming voice was heard through the DJ stand. “Everyone at Diablo’s! Are you ready to hype this shit up??” booming cheers were heard. The DJ, having a sort of technological mask one smirked and then boomed in the microphone. “I didn’t hear you! I said-” he pointed the microphone to the dance floor where they were eager to answer once more. “Ready to hype shit up Razr!” the yelled with such excitement that Ren and Akechi’s ears rang. “Are you sure we’re supposed to be here?’’ Akechi yelled at Ren. 

“What?”

“I said, are we supposed to be here?”

“If Grim sent us here with the photos, it’s for a reason. We just need to figure out who we need to find for his little game.” Ren answered loudly before the music kicked back to full volume, Razr mixing beats here and there to please his crowd. “Put your hands up!” Razr yelled as he lifted his hand up high as the indicator, and that was when Ren realized something. Normally, the Stray Hounds, the same that killed Makoto’s father, had their insignia on their neck areas for concealment. However, as Razr raised his hand high, the same distinguishable mark was seen by his wrist. “Akechi...I think we found our guy.” Ren pointed at Razr, and Akechi nodded, pushing through the crowd as they approached Razr’s stand. “Excuse me,” Akechi bumped into a girl that looked similar to Haru minus the curly hair, and Akechi felt uncomfortable before Ren pulled him further into the fray. “Focus man,” Ren said with a grit as his mind went back to Makoto. “ _ Why didn’t I stop by to see how she was doing...what a husband…” _ Ren shook the thought as he knew Makoto would understand that he is doing his best in his power to stop Grim. They continued onwards.

As it was fate, Razr noticed the two coming at him, and realized his situation. He motioned a few guards that were standing by the sidelines to look at Ren and Akechi, whom they nodded in agreement and walked towards them. Razr continued his music as he blasted it and hyped the crowd once more before his facemask turned into a red with panic as Ren and Akechi were now closer than before. “Ladies and Gentleman! Thank you all for a wonderful night, for I will be leaving a little earlier today!” people were displeased but Razr assured them by leaving his playlist for the rest of the night. “Adieu!” he said as he began to walk slowly, looking back at the two former Wild Cards, then at the guards, and then once he was out of the crowd’s line of sight, he booked it. “Akechi! This way!” Ren yelled as he ran towards Razr, but was stopped by a few guards, who were eager to fight. Akechi punched one hard and threw a bottle at the other one, knocking them down. “We’re going to lose him!” Akechi yelled as they chased after Razr, opening the back door, and more guards appeared. They evaded them and the sounds of bullets piercing through the metal of the back. “This way!” Ren saw Razr make a left before a gunshot scratched his left cheek. Akechi saw the man with the gun and knocked it out as he kicked the hand and Ren grabbed the gun. 

Razr was now on their feet as Ren and Akechi ran through the alleyways of Shinjuku. Ren knew he was vital information as once they caught him, they would know Grim’s next clue of his game. That must’ve been the case for it couldn’t have been this easy of a game. Grim would end up being ten steps ahead of Ren and everyone else, so he needed to place twenty steps. “Akechi! Flank him on the left!” Akechi saw that there was an opening, and took it as he ran with his might to the other side. Ren continued in his lane. “Razr! We need to talk!”

“Go away! I told him I didn’t want to be a part of his stupid fucking game!”

“Then stop running!” another gunshot was heard, this time coming from Razr as a pistol was seen in his hand. He was quivering, but he steadied himself as he ran, now towards the traffic. “ _ Great...you’re going to get yourself killed!” _ Ren jumped on the hood of a car that passed by as it was coming towards him. Razr kept running in a zig-zag, shooting at Ren, who dodged aimlessly as he ran. Murmurs were seen through the people, and phones were shot out. Then, in the corner of Ren’s eyes, Akechi was now coming in close contact with Razr, and Ren continued running through the immense traffic. Ren calculated that in three seconds, Razr would meet Akechi and would be tackled to the ground. Three...Razr shot another bullet, and it ricocheted off a car....two...Akechi was now on the sidewalk, near towards Razr...one...Razr was now tackled by Akechi as he dove to his chest area and pushed him with all his momentum form the chase towards Razr, pinning him forcefully on the ground. Akechi might’ve heard bone cracks, and given that he had minimum additional strength from the Metaverse, didn’t bother to realize that as he was holding Razr, his mask now broken and malfunctioning. “Let me go! Let me go please!”

“Not until you tell us about Grim Ripper. What is his aim? Motive? Who is he?” Akechi asked frantically as he was holding Razr down. Razr wept. “I don’t know man. I don’t know who Grim is! He never told me who he was! All he did was give me this for his little game.” he grabbed another photo and tossed it to Akechi, who Ren grabbed as he now reached the confrontation. “You said you didn’t want to be a part of his game. Why are you playing?” Ren asked now. Razr wept once more. “Look man, I knew Grim back when he was the cleaner for the group. He did his one job, which was that stupid Akito Niijima, and they cut him loose. Then he went and burned the whole place with everyone in it, according to one of the contacts there that contacted me. Grim found me and he threatened me to be a part of his game with you and everyone else. Him and someone else.” he was crying now and pleading Ren and Akechi to let him go. “Who is the other person?” Akechi asked.

“I don’t know his name, but we call him Hoodie as he wears a mask like Grim and I. The only thing I can tell you is that he’s closer than you think. A hell of a lot closer.” Razr wheezed now and Akechi let him stand. However, once Razr stood up, Ren and Akechi were ambushed as guards came running at them and tackled them on the ground. “No...no….he found out...he found out I said too much!” Razr said as he was running away from them, but was grabbed by one of them and was tossed to the ground. Ren and Akechi brushed them off, and as they fought with each guard, they panted loudly and brushed their bloody knuckles. “You okay?” Akechi asked, huffing loudly and spitting out blood. Ren gave him a bloody thumbs up. “Where’s Razr?” Ren wheezed, and they went to check where he was last seen before he was forever gone in the wind. All except for another photo. Ren grabbed it and then looked around to see Razr’s existence, only to find that the result was nothing more than the fact that he was no longer within their grasp. “Damn it..” Ren was beginning to lose his cool now, and Akechi examined the first photo. 

“Ren, we need to head home for now.” Akechi put the photo away and then walked towards Ren’s direction, looking at the crowd that was surrounding them and taking pictures of what had happened. “Yeah let’s.” Ren breathed some fresh air and headed back to where they had parked the car. As they got in, Ren looked at the second photo that was given to them from either Razr himself, or from the guards that trapped them. The photo was nothing more than a close up of a noose, tied to a neck of course, and markings were seen on the neck. It appeared to be female, and he hoped it wasn’t someone he knew, which he gave another look before putting it away. 

Thankfully, though ironically, he saw the neck tattoo of the Stray Hound Group, and he sighed of relief, but then he noticed the blood on the wall once more. It had numbers this time around, as Ren caught the numbers “139111” in the deep crimson blood that at this point made Ren question something about Grim: if Grim were to have had a Palace, what horrors would lie there waiting for them? What atrocities would befall upon them? Grim was someone that was horrendously intelligent and bloodthirsty, and Ren now felt obligated to learn more about him. Was this bounded by fate? Would Igor or Lavenza tell them if they were brought back from the makings of the Metaverse? Ren wouldn’t know and still pondered at the concept as he drove back to his apartment that soundless and broken midnight.

 

* * *

 

Ren walked inside his apartment building and headed towards the door. He was rummaging through his pockets from his laptop bag for his keys. He struck gold as he let out a soft “aha” and went to unlock his door, but when he did, however, the door was already opened. “Mako?” Ren instinctively asked as he pushed the door some more to find himself staring at pure darkness. Ren turned one of the lights that lit up the living room as he continued walking, now slowly as he was looking around to find his wife. No sign of a fight was seen, and Makoto would surely win the fight if there was, but as he saw that everything was intact, he was worried. Where is she?

A few more steps inside the apartment and turning off the light of the living room and now the kitchen’s, suddenly he felt the same left cheek get cut deeply by a knife. Ren moved to the side and saw the wielder of the knife move swiftly and went to stab at him furiously. Ren continued to move and grabbed the hand immediately and took out the knife and tossed it. “Who are you?” he yelled before he realized the softness of the wrist he was clutching tightly. Makoto? N,o it couldn’t be as she would know it was him that was walking inside the apartment. He turned on the lights to the fullest now and saw that Makoto was trembling now in front of him. She wasn’t looking at him directly, but her red eyes had officially lost its color, and she was muttering something that Ren couldn’t decipher. 

“Mako...it’s me...Mako...Makoto!” Ren snapped at her now and she looked up to see that it was her husband. “Ren...oh Ren...I…” Makoto didn’t finish the sentence as Ren pulled her close into his arms and shook alongside her. “I’m here Mako...I’m here…” he said while he was cursing madly at Grim for breaking his wife’s soul. Tattered it and shattered it to a million pieces in which would now appear to be difficult to reassemble and put them back. Ren trembled with Makoto now as they fell to the floor, both crying as one had hurt her husband, and the other wasn’t there by her wife’s side when she needed it the most. Was this Grim’s doing? Ren would later learn as the weeks went by, trying to comfort and nurse his dove back to her original state of mind before pursuing the next part of Grim’s killing. And learning that within those weeks, the next victim was slain and used for his amusement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Seven Over: Brawl in Bars  
> Episode Eight Start: Fury and Flames


	8. Fury and Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Note: the story right now takes place roughly three weeks after the events of chapter six. Just letting everyone know that beforehand as you dive deep into the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never play with fire...for that fire will spread, burn you down to a crisp, and create a passion of hate so despicable that it will you down a rabbit hole of hell. Never play with that fire.

A flickered light hit the face of Razr, now beaten and broken down below it. He no longer had his mask on, as blue eyes and a nice shade of dark gray hair was seen. He coughed numerous amounts of blood and tried to move his body, tied to a metal chair around his arms and legs. He couldn’t even breathe properly. Razr screamed loud as he could, but no voice was heard from his mouth as it was muffled with loads of clothes, almost suffocating him. Despite that, he continued to yell and shake his body back and forth to see if he can get out of the chair. 

That was until he heard clapping.

Razr looked up to see Grim clapping his heart out at the sight of such a pathetic fool. Alongside him was his other servant, or rather,  _ slave _ , Hoodie as he was covering his upper face with a mask similar to Grim’s and his black hoodie. He kept quiet while Grim ran his little show. “Congratulations Razr! What a surprise right?” Grim smiled devilishly. Razr shook his head, and Grim laughed. “I knew you would say that.” he approached closer to him, trodding nicely and even skipping like a girl towards Razr. Hoodie stayed where he was, not even bothering to move nor witness what Grim was going to do. 

Grim was now faced to face with Razr, smiling wide now ad pulled out the cloth from his mouth. Razr breathed heavily as he was choking madly and trying to fix his breathing. It took a while and once he did, it was knocked right back out as Grim pushed the chair down for him to fall. “Whoops! I didn’t mean to do that my dear friend! It was the slip of the wrist-BANG!” a gunshot was heard as Grim pulled a gun and shot near Razr. Razr winced and cried forcefully, begging Grim to let him go, but Grim was effortless in his endeavor to continue the game. He was enjoying the look on Razr’s face and laughed at it mockingly. “Do you really think that I am going to let you out? You spoke too much, and the agreement I had for your part to play for my little game. Get caught, pay the price, and give them their precious next clue.” Grim grabbed Razr’s face now and shoved him down onto the floor. As he feel down, Grim laughed with pleasure as he took out a knife from his pocket and licked his tongue as he smelled his treat that night, that sensation he wanted to experience badly. Now he had his time. His chance. “Don’t worry dear Razr, for this won’t hurt a bit.” was all that was heard before a multitude of hacking noise and screams echoed through the empty and dilapidated location.

 

* * *

 

The morning air was filled with the warmth of Akechi’s coffee mug as he drank it blissfully. The black hit his tongue and he felt the sensation throwing at him mercilessly, and he quite enjoyed it as he was, for once, sitting by Haru that very same morning. Akechi, at first, was very concerned for Haru after her hospitality grew a little bit after the events of Razr’s disappearing act, and the five days that preceded it, as she was talking with him more, inviting him to the table more, confiding in him more. Haru was also speaking with him on genial terms, treating him a bit fairly unlike before where she gave a cold shoulder. He tried to brush it off a little, and excuse himself as he wasn’t ready for the sudden change in Haru’s personality, but when it did, he couldn’t help but smile genuinely at the Okumura. Perhaps they were finally getting a bit closer, his redemption on the way.

Haru watched him scratch a few notes on the notepad beside him as he was examining the photo he was given by Razr. Haru wanted to ask him, but she stood there focusing on his swift writing movements and his red-brown eyes darting back and forth on the items on the table. She sipped her coffee, still looking at him, and sighed a little. “Akechi-kun,” she said, and Akechi stopped for a moment. The bitter tone was still there, but not so much as it was before. Akechi was glad of that. “Yes, Haru?” Akechi asked, eyes looking at the photo.

Haru gripped her mug tight. “The past few days you were busy with that photo, and ever since the whole game started with Grim, I never got a chance to say thank you.”

“For what?” he now looked up at Haru, and she gulped a little before continuing on with what she wanted to say. Haru looked away for a moment and then stared back at him. “Thank you for trying to find that awful person and bringing him to justice,” she said at last, and Akechi blinked several times. He wanted to speak, but then smiled back and nodded in agreement as he went back to what he was doing with the photo, as, like Ren’s, provided a similar style of codes. In the picture, it had another one of Grim’s possible victims in what appeared to be a jail cell, and the person laid there cold and dead on the floor, with several stab marks in his body. Akechi saw that using the blood, Grim wrote the following code: 1989415. Something that Akechi was stumped on as it could mean a thousand things. He tried to see if they were coordinates but then failed as he put the pencil away and then continued sipping his coffee, sighing in mere defeat. “I don’t get his aim...his motive…” he said silently to himself, but Haru managed to hear him and shook her head, approaching him now. “Akechi-kun, you do know his motive. You know what he really wants to do.”

“Break the Phantom Thieves mentally and physically, but if he were to do that, he would’ve come after you guys the past few days, weeks even.” Akechi stood up and massaged his head a little. “He wants you dead. Me, dead. Everyone, dead. Yet, these photos are victims of Grim’s game. I need to know what that game’s objective is, otherwise we won’t win.” Akechi felt frustration in his voice as he sat back down, eyes away from Haru, and gritting his teeth. He needed to figure it out sooner, or else someone else will pay the price. Razr already took that option as he was nowhere to be seen, so Akechi knew what must’ve happened to him. “ _ Dead like the rest of them.” _

Haru knelt down and tried to hug him, but he stood up abruptly, looked at his watch and apologized to Haru. “We got work to do today.” he simply said while he scratched and massaged his left eye’s scar. Haru nodded and composed herself. “I’ll be seeing you tonight?” she asked him. Akechi gave her a thumbs up. “Same to you?” he asked back. Haru simply smiled brightly, something he got to see for the first time upon his return.

 

* * *

 

The past few days for the Niijima-Amamiya household were in a short sense, complicated yet calm. Ren stayed and comforted Makoto as best as possible within that span of time. Whenever Makoto broke down in despair, Ren made sure to come to her aid, and it made her feel much better than when he found her that night after the events of Razr. Now, as the morning sun was ablaze, hitting the windows by the living room and the balcony space of their apartment building. Ren was by the couch now, slouched and tired with Makoto nestled by his right side, curled up like a ball and huffing slowly. Her chest heaved evenly, and she was no longer quivering, which was the good thing. 

Though it did come with a price, as he was massaging the scar that now sat there quietly by his left cheek, a straight line with a short jagged edge at the top. He rubbed it a little before he went to do his daily routine of rubbing the ones on his wrists before a groan was heard below him. Makoto fluttered her eyes open a little and saw Ren, his eyes glowing back at her warmly. She smiled briefly before she coughed for a moment, and positioned herself now on the couch. “Morning Ren,” she said as she stretched.

“Morning. How are you feeling?” Ren made it a routine now to ask her how she was feeling, especially since the incident. He remembered how the two of them stayed there, in the acid darkness wrapping them around like a blanket, both of them quivering and trembling frantically, not because of the cold of the room, but because of the fear of losing each other, and in the case of Makoto, merely being broken for one solid day and almost killed Ren herself. Ren remembered this portion, but Makoto remembered having an internal struggle that night and later throughout the week of fighting the inner voices, and Grim’s nightmares that still pop up from time to time. However, as the week progressed, Makoto was now back to her usual self to a degree.

“I’m feeling better. Sorry for the scar…” she regretted saying that as she finished that sentence mumbling it to herself. Makoto truly felt guilty for cutting her husband’s skin, yet Ren brushed it off. “It doesn’t matter Mako. You weren’t yourself for a whole day, and that was I was an idiot in hurrying to catch Grim and win the game.” he pulled Makoto closer to his body, planting his head on top of hers. “I should’ve worried about you and what you were going through after that night. Not go to some bar and catch some DJ, and then bore me from this photo.” Ren went back to the photo as he looked back to see it lying on the counter near the coffee machine. The numbers there had to mean something, but what exactly? Ren couldn’t decipher, and like Akechi, gave up and tried to relax enough to keep his mind in check. Makoto poked his side and he looked down. “Ren if it’s about the photo, I can help you with that.”

“Mako, I don’t think you’re even capable of going back to work.” Makoto shook her head. “I get that you’re trying to have me take a break, but at the same time Ren, I’m a cop. There is a chance that people like him will show up in the future, and I need to be strong. Like Dad.” she stood up, determined, and then looked at Ren with a serious face, her Niijima Stare now in full effect. “The same with Sis. Dad taught us to be strong, and I won’t let Grim take that from me. He can scare me with the nightmares, and I may feel the fear choking me, but I won’t give in now.” she had her hands clenched tight, and Ren was in awe of what he saw. Yet, as the back of his head told him, Makoto was indeed back to full strength, that is certain, but Ren knew her like the back of his hand. Makoto may be saying what she intended to say, yet the meaning was something different. It meant the opposite to Ren as he subtly gritted his teeth as he stared at her and shook his head mentally. “ _ Mako...don't be stubborn now. This isn’t your fight and your fight alone.”  _ Ren wanted to say that so badly, but he was in shock as Makoto went to grab the photo and then her laptop, still containing the USB drive that Grim used to start his game. “I looked at my father’s death several times to know one thing, Ren.”

“Which is what exactly?”

“The Stray Hounds’ focus and my Dad’s task was like I told you when we were helping Eiko back then. It was about transportation and blackmailing of girls, or that was what I was always told about. Including Sae.”

“Makoto you’re not making any sense. What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that my Dad and Grim are tied to something else.  _ Someone else. _ The evidence is here when Grim approached my Dad’s body-” Ren stopped her and he took the laptop once she was about to show the footage. Makoto tried to fight Ren for it, but Ren sighed and put the laptop in the one place that Makoto could never reach and he looked at Makoto now with tiresome eyes. He continued to massage his cheek scar and sighed once more. “Mako,  _ Queen _ .” Ren rarely used her nickname in a serious tone as it was always for tease nowadays. It certainly got Makoto to get back to reality. “You’re not making any sense, and you’re pushing a far-fetched theory. Who could be this something else? This someone else Makoto? Who? Why? You see where I’m getting at here?” Makoto went for a rebuttal, but Ren pinched his nose and then grabbed his phone. “What you doing now Ren?” Makoto said somewhat furiously. Ren looked up and showed her Iwai’s name and as he dialed the number, he put it in speaker. The phone rang a few times before Iwai’s robust voice was heard on the screen. “What do you want now Punk?” he said while shouting at a few customers. “Can’t you tell the time?”

“Iwai, I need you to come to my house this afternoon. I need to ask you about something.”

 

* * *

  
  


“What do you need?” Iwai crossed his legs as they stretched on the couch, slouched and his hat on his head to cover his eyes. He had a lollipop on his mouth and moved the stick around left to right and his arms were crossed as well. The headphones he wore were now gone for the somewhat middle-aged man. His attire was still the same as it was five years ago, except he stopped wearing the long jacket. Instead, he wore a henley. Ren paced back in forth as he was trying to go through everything that had occurred. Once it was all organized, he explained the situation to Iwai detail by detail, while Iwai retained the position he was in. It took about an hour or so until Ren finally stopped speaking, and held Makoto’s wedding ring hand. 

Iwai stopped moving the lollipop and then grunted as he shifted his body and placed his hands together in front of him. He didn’t look at them, but Ren knew he cursed under his breath. “Grim Ripper...what a stupid name if I remember hearing about him through my contacts. Supposedly it’s to represent the Grim Reaper or Death, and Jack the Ripper, who was-”

“The most ruthless serial killer in the nineteenth century. Sorry, go on Iwai.” Makoto apologized. 

“No worries. Anyways...Grim only did one job as his role for the cleaner of the Stray Hounds, and that is that very job itself. Your father Niijima. After that, he was cut loose.”

“Because he was a maniac. He would’ve just ran him over and leave him there to die.” Ren said abruptly. Iwai nodded. “The cleaners I remembered working with organized their crime to where there wouldn’t be evidence unlike that picture or the USB drive. They’re not fond of attention.” Iwai looked at the couple’s eyes now, filled with regret and sorrow that Ren had no clue they were a part of Iwai’s personality, to begin with. “As for the Stray Hounds, they did their time hiding in the shadows thanks to your father’s friends Niijima. But Grim was nowhere to be seen, or even mentioned by some of the ones the police arrested.”

“Where is the group now Iwai?” Makoto asked now, as she leaned in for some interest on the subject. Ren wasn’t too keen on the idea that she did such an action, but he pushed it aside as he too wanted to hear. Iwai chuckled and then stood up from the couch to throw away his lollipop as he threw it out. “The news didn't bring word about this, but a few contacts of mine did. Supposedly, Grim burned down the place with everyone in it. At least, the ones that were inside the hideout, to begin with. The ones you see in the picture were the by-products.” Ren and Makoto’s eyes widened. They wanted to speak, but the words escaped them once they heard the truth. One man killed so many people, despite their guiltiness for being associated with Grim, all to prove a point. Towards them. He showed them that they were nothing to him, that they were insects, prey to his predator, and now, his next targets, were on the hunt. 

Ren saw the time and that it was getting late. “Thank you, Iwai.” Ren said softly as he ushered him out the door. Iwai thanked him for the visit and then pointed at Makoto for a brief moment as he was walking away. “I don’t know her as much as you do Ren, but she seems to be the type that won’t forgive someone that easily. From what you told me about her and how Grim went inside her head for one day shows a lot about his personality. And trust me, she’s not even fully healed from his poison.” Ren looked at Makoto, who stood there angrily as she had her hands turned into fists, and she was now the one gritting her teeth, and her eyes glared dangerously as she stood there on the couch. Ren merely nodded at Iwai’s statement, and with that, Iwai left the apartment, blind of the fact that he had pulled the trigger for something far worse than Ren could ever imagine.

 

* * *

 

The usual brewing and smell of Leblanc’s coffee permeated through the cafe that evening. Sojiro was busy washing the dishes, yawning and feeling grumpy that he had to do this while he could leave and get Futaba to help him finish washing the dishes. Though he supposed it wouldn’t be fair for the girl as she was currently busy with school work, and her technological career with her friend Kanna. He knew that any time was precious to his daughter, so he stopped complaining and continued onwards with his tasks. “Wish the damn Amamiya would help around. I provided him a home for almost two years now, and he hasn’t stopped by except using my cafe for special events.” he stopped himself before he smiled at the thought of what was basically his adoptive son. Sure there were his parents, but Sojiro felt all the more responsible for Ren than them. At least they all keep a correspondence now and then. 

Sojiro continued onwards, now brushing past his grumpiness and hummed a few old tunes he enjoyed in his humble car. As he was focused on a particular whistle near the time 9:45, the bell chimed and Sojiro looked up to see who entered. “Ah,” he said as he was drying his hands now and then went to the door to close it shut so no more customers would enter. “Didn’t think you would arrive at this time. Not at all for that matter.” he grinned as he welcomed Sae to a seat. “How is life Niijima? Same old crap as usual?” he went to grab a coffee mug before Sae stopped the old man from doing so. “It’s fine Sakura-san, but I’m not here for leisure talk, unfortunately.”

“Oh?” Sojiro was intrigued now. 

“Yes,” Sae’s lips quivered now as she was struggling to find the next words to say to the old man. She came here to tell Sojiro to be careful on the streets now that Grim was on the hunt, and Sae had an inkling that he was after those the Phantom Thieves cared about, including her and Sojiro himself. She needed to let him know, but she stopped short when her hands started shaking. “I came here to tell you-”

“Futaba told me all about it.” Sojiro stopped her as he was still giving her a cup of coffee. “She came home that night bawling her eyes out and her breathing happened to shorten as well. I was sure frightened as hell I’ll you that. Hoo boy.” he played it off nicely as he was drinking his coffee now. He played his part in caring for his daughter and he also knew that the flock of birds that were the Phantom Thieves he raised five years ago would find a solution to this drastic problem. He had hope in them, the same hope he had when he waved Ren off during the day that the Phantom Thieves would save the world from their cognition, Mementos. “Look Niijima,” he continued speaking in a low voice now, making sure he was reaffirming the young woman in front of him. Niijima nodded in return, waiting for his answer. “I appreciate the gesture of coming here and warning me about this psychopath, but I can assure you I can handle myself. I may be old, but I still have the talents of when I was a government official.” he grinned as he sipped his coffee once more. “So relax for now as we got your little sister and her idiot of a husband to figure things out.”

“That’s the issue,” Sae spoke more fearfully now as she looked up at Sojiro. “That night, I saw a different Makoto and a different Ren. A different everyone in that room. They are all broken inside now, and they can’t fix what was shattered. It’s gone now.”

“What is that thing that broke them?” Sojiro asked as if he was a psychologist.

“I can’t explain it properly, but I know it’s there. What was once there is out the window.” Sae gulped now and tears were forming down her eyes. “Grim wants to tear them apart, and especially my own sister and brother-in-law. Those are his main targets, and he will do whatever it takes to do it. Just like how he killed my father.” she gritted her teeth madly now. She was now frustrated, and Sojiro clearly knew as he nails were digging into her palms. Her eyes were raging with fury, a burning flame erupted within her and she couldn’t calm it down at that moment, no sir. She needed to hone in on it and catch the culprit. Finish what Akito Niijima started in his deathbed.

Sojiro saw the time and noticed that he forgot to turn on the TV, as it was still turned on during their chatter about the recent events. Sojiro went to turn off the TV, but Sae stopped him as she heard the words Itsuo Maeda coming from a reporter’s voice. That was when Sae knew what she needed to do as she stood up, grabbed her bag, and thanked Sojiro before she opened the door and left the cafe. “What the hell happened to her to leave like that so suddenly?” Sojiro scratched the back of his head before he turned off the TV, abrupting stopping the interview with the dashing entrepreneur, who seemed busy laughing away his problems while others in society.

 

* * *

 

Only after a few more days of recovery and spending time, as well as debating with one another about Iwai’s visit and the facts they know of Grim, Makoto and Ren were walking side by side that morning in the police station, nothin appearing to bother the two externally. Internally, however, Makoto started to become more stubborn with herself, linking clues and trying to piece certain puzzles together to get a clearer understanding of who they’re up against, and how the nightmares still haven’t left her. She felt the cold bloody fingers wrapping around her now, but then looked to Ren, who was busy in his own web of thoughts. The photos, Makoto’s mental state, his scars such as his wrists that have been burning like hell since he last took the time to rub them down. He decided to do just that as he rubbed his right one first and then his left, still gazing at the photo that he made sure he would use Third Eye on. “ _ What do those numbers mean? Come on Ren! Think!” _ but alas, nothing came to him and he deactivated it, looking at Makoto now. 

“Perfect timing,” Akechi said as he was running to them with a folder under his right arm. “I needed to see you guys. Welcome back Makoto. How are you feeling?”

“Better now Akechi. Now I need you to tell me everything that occurred so far about the Grim Ripper case.” her voice sounded determined, a very forceful and yet worried some determined. Ren took note of the pitch in her voice as she said those words and gritted his teeth. He needed to stop her, but how could he at this point? It was his fault for staying by her side that night, and how he had the reward for that consequence. He felt it sting in his scar and heart that Makoto was falling apart, and he, her doting husband, couldn’t stop her then. 

“Right...let me take you to Chief then Makoto.” Akechi made her walk in front of him along with Ren, whom he stopped as he grabbed his arm, pushing Ren to face him in the eyes like when they met that morning before the photos appeared. Ren saw this movement and thought to himself about what Akechi would tell him, and he knew the answer. He braced for it as their eyes met. “I don’t know what happened, but I don’t care. She doesn’t sound confident, and she is going to get herself killed Ren if you don’t keep an eye on her from now on.” 

“I know that Akechi, I’ve been fighting with her for the past two weeks now.” Ren strained his voice as it croaked a little, his dark grey eyes saddening. Akechi nodded and he released his arm, and let him walk towards Chief’s office, where Chief and Makoto were having a discussion about the ongoing case that was Grim Ripper. “ _ Grim Ripper...what a stupid name if I remember hearing about him through my contacts. Supposedly it’s to represent the Grim Reaper, or Death, and Jack the Ripper.”  _ Iwai’s voice rang through Ren’s head. Grim Ripper...Ren wondered one thing from that name, and it wasn’t merely because of its stupidity nor the meaning. He didn’t care about that. What he did care was the why. What made this person become who he was? Who traumatized him to the point where he was bent on killing, for no reason other than enjoyment? Who really was Grim Ripper? Ren continued asking these questions when he pardoned himself when he entered the office.

 

* * *

 

Grim whistled a lovely tune as he was walking calmly, gathering materials to start his usual performance and the camera to capture that moment. He was excited for it as his tongue smacked the edge of his lips behind the black mask.  He was also dragging something, the blood making a trail as the limp body was being hit between the ground. The face of the corpse was barely seen, as cuts and bruises were scattered around. There were multiple stab wounds and gunshots in his chest area, and Grim was disrespecting every ounce of the body’s time in this world as much as possible. But it didn’t matter. He was the Devil after all, and he was eager to cleanse this man of his sins. “Alright, looks like this is your stop.” Grim tossed the body close to a wall and propped it nicely like a doll. He then grabbed a rope, making it into a noose to then wrap it on Razr’s dead body. Once he did that, he grabbed a chair, standing the body upwards. Grim then tied it, and he pulled the body upwards before he let go of the additional string, now leaving Razr to hang. “Perfect.” Grim grinned as he clasped his hands and then proceeded to use the blood that was on the wall. He grabbed a brush, and painted the numbers 139111 on the wall, letting it drip down like the previous ones. “Now for the camera...say cheese Razr for you’ll go viral!” he cackled as he took the picture. He was getting excited now, and couldn’t wait to see the picture once he removed the film from the camera. 

“Already telling them about the next victim before they could solve the first two?” Hoodie’s voice appeared behind Grim. Grim snickered. “You better not say another word or you’ll be the next one.”

“And if you do, I can always contact Chief. I am a cop after all.”

“Touche.” Grim took another picture and relaxed his pallid fingers. “What are you doing here first of all.”

“Well, I forgot to say thank you for the scar before we decided to kill this dumbass.” Hoodie showed him the scar that Grim made when they burned down the Stray Hounds’ base, still fresh as the pink jagged lines were shining in the light. Grim chuckled and took a third picture, which left him with a quick ‘aha!” as he found the right angle, taking a fourth and final one. “You’re welcome,” Grim replied back as he put the camera away. 

“There was also one other thing,” Hoodie walked closer to him, inches away from his devilish face and mask as the two gazed into each other’s eyes violently, eager to see who would win in their competition of survival. Clearly Grim was points higher, but the man in the hood knew better that he had him right where he wanted. He even grinned devilishly as he got Grim’s innocent attention. He opened his mouth to speak at the moment, asking a question that Grim knew the answer as the very answer itself was waiting for its presence. How the cold sprinkled the inside of that very gritty answer, the mist covering it like a sorrowful blanket. This answer would soon present itself when the time arrived.

For now, Grim needed to send his messenger off again on his errand before he continued taking another picture. Afterward, he cut down Razr’s body down, leaving it there to rot away with the rest of the others that helped Grim with the puzzle pieces of his game. “Sleep tight.” he mocked the corpse as he kissed it goodbye, shutting the door loudly. The corpse fell down thanks to the heavy vibrations of the door, its mouth agape with a plea of mercy that never came to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Eight Over: Fury and Flames  
> Episode Nine Start: Hanging Model


	9. Hanging Model

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright...alright...alright! I finally got this updated and boy this chapter is going to open up some windows for Next Gen in the chapters to come. Other than that, I don't have the usual creepy quote I often put in the beginning since this is actually a light chapter compared to the rest. Other than that, enjoy!

The late summer morning sprang vibrantly that sorrowful day, as Ann and her fellow entourage were busy modeling another set of photos for the summer catalog of clothes they were showcasing for. Ann was doing her usual stunts and tricks to surprise the camera, whereas the competitive flame burst within Mika as she tried doing something more exuberant to beat Ann this time around. As the two posed for the camera, each of them a range between casuals and swimwear, Ryuji and Shiho waited in the back, Ryuji watching the World Cup on his phone quietly and Shiho looking at her friend and also overseeing the clothing style for their Panther’s store idea. She then turned to Ryuji to see the game. “Looks like we’re winning,” she said as she saw Japan score their second goal toward South Korea in the group stages. Ryuji nodded. “Yeah we got this one in the bag,” he said happily. “We might even make it to the finals for once.”

“I sure hope so,” Shiho replied and continued examining the models in front of her, the cameras flashing and the camera crew rushing to make sure the next photo was just as elegant and fashionable as the previous one. “They seem to be working hard on this one,” Shiho commented now, jotting a few ideas down now on her small leather-bound notebook. “They really like to advertise for this company.”

“For now it’s a top-tier brand,” Ryuji replied. “Ann loves their clothes and was excited as hell to model for them together after what happen-” he stopped himself short as he realized he was giving away too many details to Shiho about what happened a few days ago. Shiho raised an eyebrow in concern. “What happened what?” she asked and Ryuji brushed it off by answering that they had a small scuffle about something. He then needed to tell Ann that to savor the lie.

Ann focused her attention on Mika after they took a five-minute break from the shooting. She wanted to speak to Mika, but somehow the words choked her and she couldn’t even breath. The air froze around her, and she felt this shudder in her body before she was snapped back into reality by Mika herself. “What’s the matter?” Mika asked in both an annoyed and kind manner before she smirked her usual arrogant smirk. “Do I sense some fear in you?” Ann widened her eyes and looked at Mika, who was still smirking. She chuckled. “I figured as much. Looks like I won this round, huh?”

“No, that's not it Mika,” Ann croaked a bit before she pulled herself together. Maik raised an eyebrow now and was interested to see what Takamaki Ann had to say this time around. Ann tried to continue, but the cold feeling resumed and she choked the words once more, trying to warn Mika that she was in imminent danger, yet the freezing air continued to kill her concentration and her speech before she was snapped back once more by Mika.

“If you have something to say, then say it. If not, then stop wasting my time,” Mika walked away for a moment to get a whiff of fresh air and Ann shook her head. “ _Why couldn’t I warn her? What was that cold feeling?”_ she looked back at Ryuji and Shiho chatting and she sighed. She needed to get a grip...or maybe she was overthinking that perhaps Grim was misleading the Phantom Thieves into thinking that Mika was a victim? No, it couldn’t have been, yet it could also be the truth that will ultimately stab her and the others’ backs.  

Ann then saw that she too needed a break as she walked back towards Ryuji and Shiho, who were now happy that Japan won the soccer match.

 

* * *

 

“You have to let me take care of Grim!” Makoto slammed her fists on Chief’s desk, her red eyes furious for being rejected by the case. Ren scratched the back of his head and shook his head and Akechi tried to nudge him to say something to his wife. “Akechi, I did,” Ren whispered. “And you’ve been gone for five years. Mako’s stubbornness has reached tenfold nowadays.” Ren continued watching the scene in front of him, crossing his arms and massaging his left cheek, the scar now a slice of pink. Akechi crossed his arms too. “Alright then,” he muttered back.

“Makoto,” Chief turned his attention towards her and casted his eyes down on her. “I knew Akito since we were in the Police Academy. He was strong, independent, and a bit clumsy if you ask me,” he chuckled melancholily. “And I’m sure he wouldn’t want his daughter to be put in danger.” Makoto gritted her teeth as she was being told this as if she was a child. She handled worse than Grim, being a Phantom Thief and stopping a god from plaguing the world with his ordeals. She knew the risks and she was confident to handle this…

Yet the voices came back to her, the haunting nightmares and the eerie silhouettes that surrounded her and her core. Her soul was defiled by men in bloody masks, Grim’s puppetry and his so call game breaching her very nervous system with a wide and mocking smile on his face, the gun he used to kill Akito, the knife she used that almost killed Ren in her time of vast darkness. She felt weak now, her fists losing her grip, her neck being choked by hands and her breathing shallow. She tried to shake the thoughts out of her mind as she stood there, closing her eyes for a second. Then she heard Chief’s voice. “Niijima? You’re alright?” his voice was echoing through her ears and she tried to open her eyes again, but then her heart began to race. She felt a shadowy presence among her, small child like shadows grabbing her now as she was falling into an abyss. “ _No...no...stop it...please...let me go!”_ Makoto opened her eyes and saw she was being grabbed by Ren, his hands firm on her back and to her forearm. The wedding ring looked a bit more silvery than ever before. “You’re alright Makoto?” Akechi asked.

Makoto looked at the concerned faces that were in the room. She saw Ren’s face first, the glint in his dark-gray eyes, but also the pink scab-like scar that now tainted what was once a beautiful face. She started to shed tears before she wiped them away and nodded. “I just need a small break,” she pardoned herself to head to the break room, slamming the door on her way out. Chief then guided his attention towards the two that stayed. Ren kept his wedding ring hand behind him, as a fist was formed. “Ren,” Chief spoke now, addressing Ren. “She was like that a few days ago, wasn’t she?”

“Yes,” Ren answered.

“And I can also assume that scar on your face was the result of not tending to your wife’s needs and acting like the hero again?” Ren slowly nodded and Chief sighed once more. “Ren, go find your wife. Make sure she stays put before more drastic measures ensue. I don’t want another Niijima dead,” Ren gulped and nodded, leaving the room in a hurry. Chief then addressed Akechi. “Detective Prince,” Chief said with a soft scoff. “I hope you can reclaim your title by taking care of this case?”

“Yes sir,” Akechi bowed his head a little. “But I don’t want to reclaim my title. I wish to give it to the next young detective when the day arrives. I just want to protect the people I care about. That’s all.” Akechi felt a self-shocked presence, standing in awe by his former boss and telling his answer. It was truly a shock to see how much he really changed over the past five years.

“I see,” Chief responded before he felt confident enough to smile hopefully. “Be safe in this case. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt.”

“You have my word,” Akechi bowed his head and left the room as well, grabbing the folder that contained the photos of what could possibly be their next victims. He just needed to learn what those numbers mean. He needed to hurry.

 

* * *

 

“So why are we meeting here precisely Haru?” Akechi looked around, wearing his usual dark sunglasses to hide from the crowd. Multitudes of people were passing by the purple and black tablecloths and outside tables that resembled the mighty Cafe Noir in Central Shibuya. Haru smiled at him however and then leaned towards him for a moment. “Sorry, but since this is the main cafe, I can’t leave and have to take care of it for now. It’s small at the moment you know?” Akechi nodded and drank his coffee. He felt a nice tingle of warmth surrounding him with an additional mix of almond and chocolate. How Haru Okumura managed to make such a delight is beyond the mere young man.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying our summer special Akechi-kun,” Haru sipped a little of her coffee.

“Can’t say I’m not surprised. It’s some really good coffee.” Akechi put his cup to the side and leaned forward too, now whispering to Haru. “I’m assuming we’re here because you decided to throw your hat into the ring of fire and help catch Grim, correct?” his red-brown eyes were trying his best to intimidate Haru, but all it did was make her chuckle and give it a try to intimidate him back. “Yes I am,” she replied back, smirking now to catch Akechi off guard. Haru was never this close to him before until days ago, as he was feeling slightly uncomfortable. There were red in his cheeks as well, but he brushed it off before he got serious again.

“Haru,” Akechi shook his head in slight dismay. “I understand your motives, but it’s bad enough that we’re avoiding Makoto to handle the case, we can’t involve third-parties too.”

“I understand, which is why I’m only going to help you with the pictures, which in turn could lead you to Grim,” Haru tried to argue her point, and seeing that the two were on good terms now made Akechi sigh and let her continue with her argument. “Thank you,” Haru smiled briefly before continuing onwards. “Can you take out the pictures?”

“Sure,” Akechi grabbed the case file and hesitated for a second to give to Haru. “Promise me that you don’t tell anyone what you saw in these files, alright?” he warned her.

“Promise,” Haru grabbed the files and then proceeded to examine them thoroughly. Akechi saw the expanding list of emotions she was feeling as she flipped through each of them: rage, anguish, frustration, and utter horror. All in the glimpse of her purple-brownish eyes. “Now I can’t I’m not surprised...this isn’t a human we’re talking about...this is a-”

“Monster,” Akechi finished her sentence and brought the files back to him. “Now you understand why Ren and I aren’t gathering the troops?”

“I’m afraid so,” Haru gulped and shook the feeling of the coldness that was suddenly wrapping her body around. She felt lost in its mist, but it wasn’t until Akechi placed his hand on hers that she was brought back into the warm sensation of that summer afternoon. “You’re alright?” Haru nodded to the question and then asked for the photos. “I only have the one Razr gave me. I gave Ren the other one in case he needed it.” he presented the photo that held the hanging corpse and the strange numbers. “Let’s see here…” Haru perused through the photo. She surmised that the suicide had to deal with what Grim plans on doing, but was it that he was going to commit suicide? The corpse was lipid in the photo, and it appeared to be female as well as Haru noticed the subtle curves around the hip. “Female? I didn’t know that.” Akechi saw the photo now and realized it was the truth.

“Yeah. See look at the sides of the corpse. See how wavy it looks at the hip section?’

“I see it now, but what does it have to do with the numbers 139111?” Akechi pointed at the bloody message that was by the wall adjacent to the hanging corpse. Haru tried to think about it and find an answer until Akechi started shaking. “Akechi-kun?” Haru was curious now. Akechi continued shaking but then chuckled a little a bit insane. “Of course...why didn’t I think of that?” Akechi had his hands to his face as he was making a breakthrough. “Of course...those weren’t time stamps and locations...it’s a name Haru! It’s a name!” Akechi then grabbed a pen and paper from his bag and rewrote the numbers, but with an addition, he wrote the English alphabet. “See these numbers? They correlate to a letter in English.” Akechi then numbered the letters. Haru watched him do his magic before she widened eyes with terror at the revelation of who the next victim was really going to be. “We need to tell Ann and Ryuji,” Haru stood up to grab her phone and Akechi stood up as well, grabbing his belongings. “Yes, we do. I have to call Ren to get me her address as a countermeasure.” the two nodded to each other and left the table in a hurry. “ _Just you wait Grim,”_ Akechi ran while texting Ren. “ _We will catch you and pay for your crimes!”_ Akechi sent the message and then ran to the nearest subway with the name wrapping around his head.

That name being Mika, Ann’s model rival.

 

* * *

 

“ _Daddy!” a young girl ran into her father’s arms, her body being wrapped around her father’s arms despite being a girl that was attending middle school. Her red eyes looked back at her father’s and smiled at him. He was finally back from a long day at work. “I have a present for you,” he smiled back when they released each other’s grip, and then grabbed from his bag a gift. The girl was in awe. “Could it be Buchimaru? Please tell me it’s Buchi-kun! Please!” her father laughed and then patted her head. “Sorry Princess, but Buchi-kun will have to wait a while. I got you something better.” he presented the gift to the girl and the girl unwrapped the layers of white and red before she saw something truly magnificent._

_“Do you like it? I saw this and It reminded me so much of you my dear Princess. I hope it’ll be the first thing your future boyfriend or husband notices when he meets you.” a small dark brown headband was shown on the hands of the girl, her red eyes still in awe. “Come on, wear it. It’s all yours.”_

_“Daddy….thank you!” the girl sniffled a little as she gave the honors to have her father put the headband on her head. “Do you like it?” he asked her. The girl nodded with glee…_

 

* * *

 

Makoto opened her eyes from the first pleasant dream since Grim started his game. She was sad that she wasn’t able to continue dreaming of that day, but the thought of it warmed her a little, tears rolling down her eyes as she was looking at the very same headband that Akito gifted her. “Dad...I miss you so much…” she held the headband to her chest and tried to fight back the tears. She then heard a knocking by the door, looking up at what was Ren standing in front of her. “Ren,” Makoto put her headband put in place, fixing it to the center of her medium dark-brown hair. She felt the edges spiking at her shoulders.

“You’re alright?” Ren grabbed a chair that was close by and pulled it next to his wife. “It’s a bit lonely here, don’t you want to be somewhere else? Your office maybe?” Ren grabbed Makoto’s wedding ring hand and felt its presence cold. It wasn’t freezing in the room and Makoto didn’t look sick either despite the saltiness and fury in her face. Tissues were seen in the corner of the room. Ren reached for her hands, yet she hesitated. Ren tried again and grabbed them, sighing that his wife was acting up again. “Mako, I understand your reasoning, your anger, your pain, but we don’t want you getting hurt. Especially at the hands of Grim.”

“And you think by you doing the case will be any different?” Makoto’s inflection began to flare up a little, her tone now expressing a tone of suppressed anger, ready to poison its victim. In this case, it was Ren, and her venom was lethal. “Ren you’re not helping anything at all! You’re running into these stupid dead ends! Grim wants me! He wants Sae! That’s who he wants badly! You’re just collateral damage that’s ready to be thrown in our way!”

“You don’t think I don’t know that Makoto?!” Ren snapped, now tightening her grip on her arms, sinking his fingernails into her frosted yet soft skin. He didn’t pay attention to Makoto feeling the sting, yet his rage was finally released. “You don’t think I know that Grim’s game is to tear us apart? To use us as pawns to get what he wants?”

“Ren you’re hurting my arms…”

“I had to deal with your punches when you found out about Sae hiding this from you. I had to deal with the scar you, yes, you, my dear sweet Queen! My precious Niijima Makoto who I was oh-so-happy to have her last name in the wedding papers, who is not the only one mentally scarred!” Ren sank his fingers deeper and blood was beginning to feel in Makoto’s arms. “Ren, I said you’re hurting my arms!” She then stopped Ren as she grabbed his hands and pushed him away. The blood then began to trickle down on her fingers and Ren truly noticed that he was causing his wife harm. His eyes widened and he looked down on his hands, now being the ones that trembled in fear. “What did I do?” Ren asked himself before he saw that Akechi saw the two in the back, where the door was originally opened and where Ren had entered. Akechi then gulped and left without warning.

The husband and wife looked at each other with horror. “Mako...I’m sorry” Makoto brushed past him as she was busy figuring out how to clean her own blood that Ren has erupted from her skin. “No...you’re not sorry Ren…” Makoto replied back, playing around with her wedding ring before finally removing it and placing it on the table. “Mako...Makoto...Makoto!” Ren yelled back but saw it was too late as Makoto left the area. “Damn it…” Ren clutched his head in anger. He had done the ultimate sin. The one thing he was told not to do by the one guardian that protected Makoto.

He had betrayed Sae.

As Ren realized this, he didn’t notice that Akechi had sent him multiple text messages. “Meet me at Mika’s apartment...we need to hurry…” Ren was snapped back into reality and needed to make things right as he ran towards the scene before looking back at Makoto, who was now back to normal and working in her office. “I’m sorry for everything…” Ren put Makoto’s wedding ring in his pocket and headed outside as quickly as he could. He called Akechi as he left the station now, looking around to see where he was meeting him. “Meet me in Ginza,” Ren read as he was reading the car and driving as fast and safely towards his destination. “Let me make sure I have the address...perfect.” Ren sighed with relief as he was looking at Mika’s address. “ _Please let us make it there on time.”_

 

* * *

 

Night befell on the dim lit Tokyo.

Mika had now returned home from her day of hard modeling work, her body tuckered out a little as she was slouching, opening her front gate with such comfort and relaxation that she almost dropped her purse. She stopped herself from melting away from the stress of her job and opened her door with ease, inserting the keys and letting them clank into the metal doorknob before they snapped and finally allowed her passage to her humble abode. She walked towards the couch that was standing in front of her, causing the large flat-screen TV she owned and chucked her belongings there before jumping on it and sighing with relief. “Ah, the couch...oh how I like thee,” she giggled like a little girl who had received a text from her crush. “Now, let me get something to drink before we binge-watch that new American rom-com,” she told herself, now standing up and heading towards the shiny kitchen. She should cook something really quickly for her show.

She whipped her brown hair in a small ponytail as she was fixing herself a quick dessert for a meal-she had some leftovers from a party she made a few days ago, and she indulged in the nice roundness of the cheesecake and Oreos. She now walked towards her couch, and as she was sitting down to enjoy her night, she felt an eerie presence surrounding her. It was familiar to her senses as it was the same one that was tracking her every movement since the summer had appeared. She looked around and checked the doors in her house. They were locked, and she huffed heavily with relief, heading back to her couch. “Actually, I think it would be best if I call it a day,” she chuckled nervously, turning off the TV and placing the remote gently onto where it belonged. She walked upstairs, still looking at the house to see if there were any suspicious activity.

She walked to her room, quickly unbuttoning the blouse she had on that day before quickly changing into the various clothes she needed to model. Her white bra and her luscious bare skin were showing in the middle section of her body. She was about to take out her slim black pants as she was ready to hit the shower, her towel by her shoulder and her eyes fixated on the bathroom to prepare herself for a cool down. “Should I take a nice hot shower? Or a relaxing bath?” she asked herself before she smiled and took the latter, heading her way to the bathroom with glee...at least before her mouth was covered by something strange. A cloth of sorts was making her lose consciousness and her eyes were slowly losing focus on what was in front of her. All she was able to hear was a faint whisper of Death, her body loose and feeling frail.

Her fate had now been sealed…

That was until two other voices appeared and the grip was now gone from her body, regaining strength as the figure who let her go was surrounded before she heard a crack in the window, the glass somehow scratching her body before one of the two shielded her with his coat and the other running to get the figure. “Are you okay?” it was Akechi’s voice, reassuring Mika that she was in safe hands. “Damn it!” Ren’s voice now appeared and Mika saw the man who she remembered vaguely as a teenager five years ago. “What is going on?” Mika felt uneasy, trying to get her breath back and then her eyesight now focused on the two, who looked back at him. “Who are you…” she suddenly fainted and collapsed on Akechi’s arms, slowly breathing. “She’s alright...but we should take her to an emergency room just in case,” Akechi said as he was wrapping her with his coat since she was almost naked. Ren nodded and then looked around the room to secure the evidence that now unfolded beneath him. He sighed and was glad he saved one victim this time around…

 

* * *

 

Crime scene began to search the house while Akechi and Ren escorted Mika to a nearby ambulance. “She’ll be having some trauma that’s for sure,” one of the paramedics spoke as they filed the case number to give to Akechi. “But I’m glad you took initiative to get her to safety.”

“Thank you for this,” Akechi bowed his head in respect and looked at the paper before putting it safely in his pocket and met with Ren, who was talking with some other officers. “What do we have so far?” Akechi asked Ren. Ren showed him some pictures that the officers took. “It looks Grim broke through one of the doors silently and went upstairs to suffocate her and then have her hang to stage it as a suicide,” Ren gave him a picture of the rope that was lying near the broken glass, where Grim escaped. “So this confirms that Grim was going to do the exact same thing as he showed us with the pictures with the numbers,” Akechi chuckled ironically.

“Looks like it,” Ren replied back.

“Let’s wrap this scene up a bit and then head over to the hospital to check on Mika,” Akechi said before Ren stopped him in his tracks. “Ann and Ryuji along with Shiho are going to be there, meaning you can’t show your face to them. At least not yet,” Ren reaffirmed their agreement back in Leblanc. If Akechi were to show up now, it could complicate some things and many questioned would need dire answers. Grim needed to be stopped first.

Akechi nodded and then asked Ren if he could head over to the hospital as he was wrapping up the scene here. Ren obliged and grabbed his belongings, slowly massaging his wrists. He then saw the wedding ring he had in his hand and then sighed. “ _Mako…”_ Ren felt guilty as he should’ve comforted Makoto instead of increasing her stubborn ego. Ren was failing his duty to protect his family, and more so his wife, the very core of the foundation he was hoping to build with her. He needed to make amends quickly and proceeded to call Makoto through her cell.

“I should let her in the case...no but she could be in danger...but she can handle her own. She beat those Shadows in the Palaces with her own Aikido...but at the same time we were able to heal and this is the real world…” Ren battled with himself as he was waiting for Makoto to answer, without having the knowledge that Makoto was in the very scene herself, examining from afar, and then saw that a shadowy figure was graciously mocking her from a nearby apartment building rooftop.

“Come and get me,” Makoto felt the shadow whisper in her ear and then her phone rang. “ _Ren...I’m sorry but I don’t want to chat right now..”_ Makoto drew her gun and saw the figure was beginning to jump from rooftop to rooftop, now begging her to follow him. “This is for Dad and Sae,” Makoto said confidently, now running through the shadowy mist that would soon plague her. The shadowy figure, however, was enjoying this moment of failure as in reality, it was the expected outcome he intended for it to occur, his presence now beginning to feel more prominent than ever before amongst the cascade of darkness that the might and the moon presented.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Nine End: Hanging Model  
> Episode Ten Start: The Queen's Demise
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter, and want to learn more about what I do, head on over to my twitter! The handle is Brianycus and hope you follow and support my endeavors over there!


	10. The Queen's Demise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They say that the Queen can move every space in Chess because of her fortitude, but in reality, she is just as delicate as the rest of the chess pieces that are waiting to be used to the fullest...

Panting and sprinting like mad, Makoto followed the shadow figure as best as she could through the ambient night. Her boots clicked with the pavement of the ground and her breathing increased with each huff and puff as she ran, gun in hand and masking sure her red eyes wouldn’t lose sight at the subject at hand. It’s been a while since she felt this kind of adrenaline, and more so than ever as she was about to catch the one man who ruined her sense of what is a family and the sin of stealing her father from her through violent means. 

Now she wanted to return the favor.

“You’re not going to lose me!” she gritted as she made a left turn through the dirty and unkempt alleyways, eyes still fixated on the figure. The figure paid no mind towards Makoto and continued running and making his way to his destination, where he made a sharp turn and then fell down to Makoto’s level. Makoto then stopped her tracks and noticed that she was facing in front of a dilapidated warehouse. The doors were opened as the figure cracked it open, and the rest of the building was rusty. 

Makoto looked at her surroundings and then back at the building before making her decision to enter inside. Her right foot took the first step, and she suddenly felt a huge ping of terror running through her, as if her head was split open by a mallet. It was the same kind of a headache she felt when she awakened Johanna years ago, except this one was more frightening and she couldn’t breathe as the air felt too tight around her. The childlike shadow hands appeared around her legs now as she felt this intense pain coursing through her body. The hands called out to her, her name in their childish voices as they now consumed her body. “Leave...me...alone!” she yelled, but the hands cling onto her.

“Makoto...Mako...it’s okay…” they spoke and Makoto tried to remove them but their hold was too strong. She started to feel weak, her body slowly losing vitality. Her eyes now began to close, her soft touch now ruined in the break of the night. No one by her side to save her from these fleeting nightmares.

Except there was, and the savior brough light back to her world as the shadows now collapsed and fallen because of it. Makoto then began to open her eyes and saw that Ren was holding her tight, his arms holding her body. Her face looked at his and saw that she nearly fainted for a moment. “You okay?” Ren asked through soft pants. Makoto merely stayed there breathless. She didn’t know what to say other than to move her body and shrug at Ren. Their little argument was still not forgotten. “I’m fine,” she said with a tough tone at the end and brushed herself off before examining the doors once more. “Why are you here?” she asked harshly and Ren gritted his teeth softly through the hurt tone. 

“Well you know me. Saw you running towards here and I had to follow-”

“So you can tell me to stop, right?” her face turned back to his and for a moment her eyes teared at the sight of Ren’s face. His smooth features was now ragged by his left side, thanks to her and believing he was Grim himself who tried to sneak away at her.  Ren tilted his head and sighed. “No Mako,” he regained his train of thought. “I’m not here to stop you. I realized that it’s impossible,” he grabbed her hands, but they reacted by pulling back from his embrace. Ren looked to the side as realization that he hurt Makoto, and her time for warm and fuzzy feelings came to a brief and abrupt end because of his own rage. 

However, Ren remained calm and tightened his knuckles. “I’m here to aid you.” he finished saying. He didn’t even bother to look back at Makoto now. Makoto continued to look at Ren and tightened her fist too, but in utter rage. Now? After his very attempts to stop her,  _ he’s _ going to help her? Her anger festered inside her and for that moment, she didn’t even bother to think of the consequences as she approached Ren and merely slapped his face as hard as she could. “Aid me? Aid me? After all the things you’ve done? After hurting me earlier, you think this is a remedy so I can so graciously come back to your arms like the loving wife I used to be?” her teeth gritted and she was tempted to slap Ren once more, but Ren grabbed her hand and he too was angry at her. 

“I understand that, but you also have to understand that your own stubbornness will get the best of you! Look at you! You look paler than usual, your luster is gone, your eyes quiver at every aspect of what you see, and you’re shaking!” Makoto was appalled by that answer and noticed that her own grabbed hand was trembling, and her mind went back into the shadows, the childlike hands, and she flinched for a second, pulling her hand back. “No...you don’t...understand Ren…” Makoto muttered and then tried to calm herself down. She faced upwards and breath heavily and slowly to rid of her fears. Then she was reminded of Grim and needed to enter that building. “Let’s get this over with. At least I have backup,” Makoto began walking now and Ren followed suit, his eyes looking back at Makoto and then at his hands. He too quivered but he needed to be stronger to finally finish this once and for all.

The two entered the building, guns loaded and flashlights out.

 

* * *

 

The darkness continued to envelop them as they pointed their flashlights out to divulge it. Ren and Makoto prepped their guns, making sure it was loaded in case any means of shooting was necessary. Each of the two took small bursts of steps to breathe in the room and see what lied ahead. For the most part, there were old storage boxes, their cardboard almost broken to pieces and the wooden ones rotting in their place. Dust gathered in the exteriors, and rats and spiders crawled out of the boards. 

Ren looked around, and realized that he needed to find a light switch for Makoto’s case. She was still frightened by the aspect of the abyss, and add onto Grim’s horrid implanted nightmares racking at her brain, Ren gulped at the prospect of Makoto’s internal shouting despite she was creating a confident facade. Her distance was evened with Ren, and she pointed at what was in front, all the while fighting the demons and the voices that murmured in her mind. She felt her heart squeezed as it was racing from the fear and thrill, but she needed to drown it with resolve. Resolve for the death of her father.

Another door appeared in front of them, and Ren took the initiative to open it before he consulted with Makoto. “Just open it,” she gritted harshly and Ren opened the dilapidated room, the squeak of it reverberating through the next layer of darkness. The two, once again even, checked the room, revealing nothing more than a responsive shock to both of them as they entered. Before them were knives, plyers, and other tools that were filled with dry blood. They were lying there, some on the floor, and others on a wooden desk that had photos, still waiting to be processed as they were in their tanks. “Guess that means he still uses film,” Makoto muttered and checked the photos slowly. Meanwhile, Ren was looking for a power switch as he moved to the left, gun still forward. His dark grey eyes saw that there were blood stains on the floor, patches of them scattered about, all dry. It made his area smell like rusted iron, and as he walked through the blood, he saw a figure lying on the ground, motionless when Ren pointed the flashlight at it. 

Razr’s body was placed on the wall in which the photo of his death was taken. His hands were open, the palms facing forwards and his mouth agape, releasing the screams that never made the cut. His clothes were tattered, and his arms were almost skinned completely, the bareness glaring back when the flashlight hit it. His face was beaten, and his eyes were wide awake, lifeless and filled with nothing more than intense shock. “God damn,” Ren almost vomited but remained focused and calm as he walked towards Razr’s body. He checked to see if he had anything in his pockets, and a note fell when Ren took his hand out of the last one. “What’s this?” he asked himself before he unfolded the paper and read the inside:

“ _ You’ve been played.”- Unknown _

Ren grabbed the note and hurried onto where Makoto was, now heading to the last room that they felt they needed to visit. “Grim could be right inside.” Makoto assured herself and opened the door this time, while Ren tried to make contact with his wife like the good old days.

 

* * *

 

The last room was massive in terms of the others, and more boxes awaited to be turned. It felt a bit more wider than the previous one they entered, and Ren felt more worried about Makoto as they traversed through the abandoned area. “Mako,” Ren spoke, but Makoto shushed him. “Now is not the time Ren.” Makoto whispered back and continued further, now shaking all of a sudden. She continued walked towards the center, where its emptiness was intriguing to her. Why would there be an empty space there? Makoto needed to find the answer, while Ren found it beneath their feet yet again. “What is this?” Ren saw a blood trail going around in a loop in the center. The rest of the blood trail then proceed to create an image of sorts-the middle of the circle had a six pointed star shape with smaller circles going in the spacing of each edge and where the lines met for each point. Ancient writing was writing in the second layer of the blood trail, also written in blood. 

“What is this?” Ren and Makoto both asked each other and looked around the large bloody drawn shape. “The writing looks to be-”

“Hebrew. Ancient Hebrew.” Makoto interjected as she pointed out the letters. “Eiko taught me the basics of the calligraphy, but the letters are all Hebrew, each one making out a word of sort.” Makoto looked at the star, and then the wording before Ren decided to answer his own question in his head. “Then that explains why Grim committed those acts of murder. To summon something with this thing.”

“Summon? Wait, you don’t mean…?”

“He could be trying to bring the Metaverse back or something...maybe this is his own cognitive thought that needs to be punished...but we can’t hold that theory as proof. For all we know this could’ve been here for a very long time, even before Grim.” Ren pointed the flashlight to see what else was in the room while Makoto kept her eyes on the circle. “ _ It looks familiar…” _ Makoto told herself as she was racking her brains in search of memories of her times with Eiko, chatting away about the ancient world. Nothing came to her and she sighed before she spotted a silvery glint to her side. She walked towards it and grabbed the recording device. “Ren!” she shouted, and Ren ran towards her. “ _ She seems talkative now.” _

“What is it?” he contradicted himself as he looked at the recorder. 

“Let’s...give it a listen.” Makoto pressed the play button while Ren gulped.

The message now began to play, the voice being none other than Grim Ripper himself. “ _ Glad you found this message my dear Queen. Been bored for a few days ever since our last meeting, and killing the deadbeat DJ wasn't as fun as I thought it was. Shame I never killed the arrogant fashion model as well.  Or was it really a failure?” _

“What are you saying? That you planned it so you could psyche us out?” Ren gritted his teeth in anger while the voice recorder then laughed in response. “ _ Hah! Couldn’t ask for a better deduction Joker. Still, the plan would’ve work nonetheless even if I did killed her. Why? Because my goal was to lure you here...show you everything it is I do, and to finally pin you and your Queen here against each other.”  _

“As if.” Ren merely replied half-assed as he truly felt that the last sentence was truth. Makoto and Ren didn began to fight each other, arguing constantly about her well being and everything that led to this moment in time. He was weak in that instant and he couldn’t help but feel that way, as for the first time, he was vulnerable. Even the Metaverse didn’t break him down like how this did, the real world itself. 

The recording continued.

“ _ I almost forgot to give you your reward! There should be a nice button next to the recorder for you to press, and I hope it’s a reward you will truly enjoy. Especially you my Queen.”  _ the voice then began to fade, and the recording stopped entirely. “What reward?” Makoto asked and looked at the right of where the recorder was, seeing a black square object that had a white button attached to it. She grabbed it and hesitated to press the button, and that was when the nightmares and the shadowy hands appeared once more. “ _ Press the button...claim your reward Makoto...you know you want to…” _

_ “No! I won’t let you! Leave me alone!” _

_ “Why resist when we are already inside your very depth of your own heart? Your heart’s corroded, gone, and corrupted by us, the Shadows. Why not just accept it? Embrace us? Understand us? Press the button Makoto….press it and claim the reward!”  _ the hands continued to wrap herself around, strangling her and making her breathless until she groaned with pain and fell down on the floor. “Stop it!” she yelled and Ren came to her side quickly, comforting her as best as he could. “I’m here Mako, I’m here,” he soothed her while pressing the button with his knee without knowing it. 

At that point in time, the center wall by where the bloody pattern situated then opened in two, opening like doors, presenting the very reward the Queen and her Joker were meant to be given. A reward that made Makoto widen her eyes, her entire body shiver, and almost shriek in both disgust and shock as a familiar figure was projected, his body frozen and his clothes still the same ones from that very day of his death. Standing before them was none other than Akito Niijima’s dead corpse.

“ _ Do you like?! Took me years to prepare for this day! Oh how I’ve waited for this moment! This reunion of both father and daughter! And now...your blood will be intertwined in this dear circle...yes...for the For-”  _ the recorder was destroyed by Ren’s heel and gritted his teeth in rage once more before he saw the corpse as well, except he was more enraged than ever. “ _ You bastard! How dare you play with Mako’s mental state!”  _ Ren came after Makoto, who was too busy looking at her father’s dead corpse, impossible to understand as to why it was there and how it didn’t decay. “Daddy...Dad…” Makoto fell to her knees, dead in the center of the circle and poured her eyes out with tears as she looked down. “This can’t happen….this can’t be happening...someone...please…” she looked back at Ren. “Save me Ren...is this is another nightmare? I’m dreaming right?” she was smiling while her eyes were wide with shock, tears still climbing down. “Maybe if I just…” she grabbed the gun and looked at the barrel, pointing at her forehead. “Yeah...maybe if I just-”

“Makoto! Don’t do it!”

“Pull the trigger-”

“Don’t do it!” Ren ran towards her, his arms now stretching forward to stop her from pulling the trigger. He jumped in between her hands and grabbed the gun, yet she pulled it anyhow and grazed Ren’s cheek, scratching him before he hugged her, shielding her from not the gun, but from the very thing that was Akito Niijima, as the next few minutes were nothing but a corpse bringing itself to explode, engulfing the two in it, at least they thought they did, as Ren moved quickly to protect his Queen from the very horrors that transpired that night, the storage building now crumbling on top of them as they laid there unconscious, unable to open their eyes at that moment in time.

 

* * *

 

“Check to see if Ren and Makoto are anywhere here!” Akechi ordered the officers to survey the area as he walked through the burnt wooden boxes and pillars. He hurriedly examined every nook and cranny of the old building for any signs of Ren and Makoto. “ _ Damn it, where are you?” _ he asked before he arrived at where he was in the center. The boards were on top of each other, and Akechi quickly saw that there was a hand. “Ren!” Akechi ran towards the hand and removed the boards from the two. He threw them away to the side and after throwing about ten large boards, he saw the two, holding each other close to their chest. “Ren! Makoto!” Akechi shook them a little to wake them up, but they stayed there motionless. He checked for breathing, and thankfully it was there. “Over here!” he yelled before he grabbed the two and passed them to the officers. “Send them to a hospital quickly.” Akechi commanded them and they nodded, running to first aid and the ambulance.

“ _ Please be okay you two…” _ Akechi sighed and then proceeded to contact Haru once he examined the area, looking closely at the blood circle pattern, that still stayed intact in the midst of the explosion. Akechi looked at the circle and began to take notes of the circle, oblivious to the two shadowy figures that were by another rooftop, their faces hidden in the hood of their dark jackets. One of them appeared smaller than the other, and he smirked underneath it. “To think this was your plan after all,” he patted the other’s shoulder. “I have you to thank, Masaru Ouma.”

“Haven’t heard that name in a long while,” the figure removed his hoodie, and slick long black hair with a ponytail was seen. His purple crimson eyes glowed in the darkness of the midnight sky. “Grim called me Hoodie, while others use my aliases, but Masaru? Been a long while.” he scoffed and then removed the hand. “To be honest, this plan wouldn’t have worked without that power you bear. No wonder why Grim is obsessed with the Metaverse.” he rolled his sleeve and looked down at the scar Grim gave to him back then. “Which leaves me to ask the question: what is your purpose, Amalek?” the second figure laughed and patted Masaru’s shoulder once more. “That’s a funny question Masaru,” Amalek coughed and then looked back at the debris, his words now serious and forging the events that would to come down the line. As these words were uttered in his pallid mouth, his crimson red eyes casting downwards at the sight, he knew that Masaru wouldn’t understand as he chuckled and finally spoke the dreaded words.

“Our purpose are yet to be revealed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Ten Over: The Queen's Demise  
> Episode Eleven Start: Disaster Artist


End file.
